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Part  of  the  *f«</c  tn'ttinf/  forth  r  ft/>rin</  iKtf/ratttofhirds  I  it  SH<OJH 


BIRDS    OF    SWOPE    PARK 


BIRDS    OF    SWOPE    PARK 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  AMERICA 
KANSAS  CITY,  MO. 

BY 

ALBERT  E.  SKIRLING,  M.  A. 

Associate   Member    American    Ornithologist    Union; 

Director   of  Natural   Sciences  in  Teacher's 

College,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 


Illustrated 


Published   By 

McINDOO  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
Kansas   City,   Mo. 

1920 


Copyright  1920   by 
W.  0.  Mclndoo 


liin 


"It  seems  as  if  one  never  gets  to  the 
end  of  all  the  delightful  things  there  are 
to  know  and  to  observe  and  to  speculate 

about  in  the  world." 

*  *      •» 

"The  casual  glances  or  the  admiring 
glances  that  we  cast  upon  nature  do  not 
go  very  far  in  making  us  acquainted  with 
her  real  ways." 

*  #         # 

"Close  scrutiny  of  an  object  in  nature 
will  nearly  always  yield  some  significant 
fact  that  our  admiring  gaze  did  not  take 


lll!l!!lll(l!ll!ll[||l!!l!!lllll!!!ll!!!lll!lllll!lll!!l  !ll!!!i!ll!IIIIIIIi5? 


448621 


feSi*^ ,  vr^:*w!" 


F/g.   1 — General   View  of  Swope  Park  on  a  Holiday 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 

GENERAL  ECOLOGY  OF  SWOPE  PARK. 

GENERAL  DISTRIBUTION  OF  BIRDS  WITH 
REFERENCE  TO  ECOLOGICAL  REGIONS 

CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

REPORT  ON  SUMMER  BIRDS  OF  THE  PARK  BY  SECTIONS 

WINTER  BIRDS  OF  THE  PARK. 

THRILLS  OF  MIGRATION. 

BIRDS  ABOUT  OUR  HOMES. 

THE  MORNING  AWAKENING. 

CONSERVATION  OF  BIRDS. 

LIST  OF  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK. 


Fig.   2 — Purple    Cone/lowers   on   the   Prairie 


INTRODUCTION 


Living  at  the  very  border  of  Swope  Park,  Kansas  City, 
Mo.,  I  have  opportunity  for  making  frequent  excursions  into 
its  remote  regions  as  well  as  opportunity  for  viewing  the 
crowds  and  attractions  of  its  more  frequented  portions.  I 
have  mingled  with  the  thousands  of  human  beings  that  thronged 
to  view  some  attractions  staged  for  the  entertainment  or  edu- 
cation of  the  populace.  Again,  I  have  wandered  for  hours 
all  alone  in  the  various  parts  of  the  Park,  and  thus  have  been 
able  to  see  certain  beauties  and  attractions  in  this  magnificent 
playground  that  those  who  mingle  only  with  the  crowds  fail 
to  see,  or  those  who  journey  only  in  motor  cars  fail  to  hear. 

With  no  reflection  on  the  pleasures  of  the  picnic  crowd 
or  on  the  value  of  the  artificial  attractions  that  are  brought 
to  the  Park,  I  have  frequently  felt  that  the  public  generally, 
failed  to  realize  some  of  the  natural  beauties  and  items  of 
interest  that  this  great  Park  holds  in  store  for  the  nature 
lover  who  has  learned  to  read  the  wonders  of  Nature's  ways, 
and  who  has  realized  the  solace  of  her  secrets. 

There  are  many  phases  of  Nature  study,  and  it  is  a  puz- 
zling question  to  decide  which  phase  is  the  most  interesting. 
Birds,  in  many  ways  impress  themselves  more  prominently 
upon  the  casual  observer,  and  so  are,  perhaps,  of  greater 
popular  interest.  Of  almost  equal  common  interest  are  the 


10  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

flowers  and  the  trees.  Insects  appeal  strongly  to  the  few 
^\\'j  have  had  an  introduction  to  their  study,  and  even  rep- 
tiles and  mammals  have  secrets  that  are  worth  knowing. 

Finally,  after  some  hesitancy,  I  determined  to  re-write 
and  re-arrange  some  rather  extensve  notes  taken  during  the 
past  few  years  relative  to  the  birds  of  Swope  Park;  hoping 
thus  to  call  the  attention  of  a  few  more  people  to  the  pleasures 
that  may  be  enjoyed  through  an  appreciation  of  Nature.  This 
appreciation,  by  the  way,  cannot  be  obtained  through  mere 
reading,  but  must  be  attained  through  patient  looking  and 
listening,  and  by  frequent  rambling  alone  or  in  small  groups 
through  the  country.  Books  help,  but  it  is  the  personal 
observation  and  experience  that  awaken  the  real  spirit  of 
response. 

The  discussion  of  Swope  Park  birds  that  follows  is 
primarily  a  study  of  the  species  found  in  the  Park  during 
the  summer,  and  hence  they  are  classed  as  nesting  birds.  The 
discussion  deals  not  only  wth  the  different  species  but  also 
with  the  numbers  of  each  species.  Moreover,  these  are  con- 
sidered not  only  for  the  Park  as  a  whole,  but  also  for  the  dif- 
ferent regions  of  the  Park.  This  gives  opportunity  for  com- 
parisons, and  for  conclusions  as  to  the  conditions  more  favor- 
able for  bird  population,  and  for  the  distribution  of  species. 

The  study  would  be  incomplete  without  at  least  some 
mention  of  other  birds  of  the  Park  besides  those  found  nest- 
ing here;  and  hence  some  lesser  consideration  is  given  to  the 
winter  residents,  and  to  those  spring  and  autumn  travelers 
that  pay  us  a  brief  semi-annual  visit. 

There  may  be  some  readers  of  this  report  who  are  not 


INTRODUCTION  11 

familiar  with  the  appearance  of  the  birds  mentioned.  It  is 
suggested  that  those  read  it  with  some  set  of  colored  bird 
pictures  at  hand  for  reference.  These  colored  bird  pictures 
and  descriptions  of  birds  are  now  so  readily  obtained  that  no 
attempt  has  been  made  to  burden  this  report  with  such 
detailed  descriptions  as  would  be  necessary  for  identification 
of  the  different  birds  referred  to. 

Before  leaving  this  introduction,  I  wish  to  state  my  ap- 
preciation of  the  help  given  me  by  other  bird  students  and 
lovers  of  Nature.  Mr.  B.  M.  Stigall  first  initiated  me  into 
the  secrets  of  Nature  and  gave  me  a  taste  of  the  joys  of 
rambles  through  the  woods  when  one  is  in  tune  and  harmony 
with  the  world  about.  I  am  fortunate  in  having  had  his 
good  influence.  Mr.  J.  W.  Baumgartner  of  the  University 
of  Kansas,  next  gave  me  the  influence  of  his  unselfish  inter- 
est, urging  me  to  make  the  special  bird  study  as  recorded  in 
this  book.  Mr.  Harry  Harris  and  Mr.  Ralph  Hoffmann,  both 
experts  in  bird  study,  gave  much  personal  help  in  field  work 
as  well  as  their  own  personal  records  and  lists.  I  shall  never 
forget  the  pleasant  excursions  taken  with  these  gentlemen. 
Mr.  A.  F.  Smithson  and  Mr.  Walter  Cunningham  also  were  of 
help  in  furnishing  data  concerning  some  of  the  Swope  Park 
Birds. 

The  Kansas  City  Park  Board  very  kindly  gave  me  the 
use  of  their  plates  for  fgures  1,  4,  5,  6,  10,  11,  16, 
19  and  25.  The  other  figures  are  from  my  own  photographs. 

A.  E.  S. 


12  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

GENERAL  ECOLOGY  OF  SWOPE  PARK 


As  is  well  known,  the  general  distribution  of  birds  de- 
pends to  a  great  extent  on  their  surroundings.  The  presence 
or  absence  of  water  in  the  form  of  streams,  lakes  or  marshes, 
and  the  dryness  of  the  soil  are  of  great  importance  with  ref- 
erence to  the  species  that  make  up  the  bird  population. 

The  general  character  of  the  vegetation,  whether  wooded, 
brushy  or  open;  whether  native  prairie  or  cultivated  land,  is 
also  an  important  factor  in  bird  distribution  and  numbers. 
Even  the  species  of  plants  that  occur  are  important  in  that 
they  furnish  food  and  shelter  for  certain  species  of  birds.  For 
instance;  the  pine  trees  with  their  cones  invite  the  Crossbills; 
the  tall  hedge  rows  lure  the  Shrike,  and  the  shrubbery  thick- 
ets attract  the  Thrasher  and  the  Catbird.  Moreover,  the  pres- 
ence or  absence  of  man  with  his  improvements  has  come  to 
be  a  very  important  factor  in  bird  distribution  and  numbers. 
All  these  factors  of  environment  are  collectively  referred  to 
as  Ecological  Factors. 

Swope  Park  is  located  in  the  extreme  southeast  part  of 
Kansas  City,  Missouri.  It  covers  an  area  of  thirteen  hundred 
thirty-two  acres. 

The  greater  part  of  this  area  is  wooded  upland  with  hills 
having  rather  steep  slopes.  The  hills  were  formed  by  the 
erosion  of  the  Blue  River  that  flows  through  the  Park  and  by 
a  number  of  smaller  streams  that  find  their  way  to  the  Blue 
and  thence  to  the  Missouri  River. 

The  larger  of  these  streams,  especially  the  Blue  River, 
have  rich  alluvial  flood  plains,  covered  for  the  most  part  with 


GENERAL  ECOLOGY  OF  SWOPE  PARK  13 

a  heavy  growth  of  deciduous  trees,  including  giant  American 
elms,  cork  elms,  sycamore,  silver  maple,  walnut,  hackberry, 
honey  locust,  coffee  bean,  ash,  various  oaks,  four  species  of 
hickory,  and  other  trees.  There  are  also  smaller  trees  like  the 
buckeye,  hop-hornbeam,  redbud,  dogwood,  the  haws  and  wild 
crab. 

Covering  the  crests  of  the  hills  the  soil  is  underlaid  near 
the  surface  with  Bethany  Falls  limestone,  which  crops  out  in 
ragged  cliffs  near  the  brow  of  the  hills.  In  many  places  great 
fragments  of  the  ledge  have  broken  off  and  have  slid  a  dis- 
tance down  the  hills,  the  whole  giving  a  picturesque  wildness 
of  scenery  that  is  delightful. 

The  soil  covering  the  upper  hill  slopes  is  so  shallow  that 
it  becomes  quite  dry  during  dry  summers  and  the  vegetation 
is  of  a  type  that  can  endure  such  drouth.  The  predominating 
trees  for  these  dryer  regions  are  post  oak  and  black  oak  with 
quite  a  sprinkling  of  other  species  that  are  more  abundant  in 
the  valleys  and  on  the  slopes.  In  the  more  barren  portions, 
the  post  oak  is  dwarfed  to  a  mere  shrub,  while  in  more  favored 
regions  it  grows  to  a  height  of  forty  feet  or  more. 

A  miscellaneous  collection  of  vines  and  shrubs  form  a 
second  strata  of  vegetation  among  the  trees.  Those  of  most 
prominence  are  the  dogwoods,  wahoo,  buckbrush,  bladder-nut, 
and  wild  goofeeberry  among  the  shrubs,  and  Virginia  creeper, 
poison  ivy,  bitter-sweet,  wild  grape  and  wild  smilax  for  the 
vines.  There  are  also  many  herbaceous  perennials,  some  of 
them  being  beautiful  "wild  flowers"  when  in  bloom.  This 
undergrowth  of  vegetation  is  undisturbed  in  much  of  the  Park. 

In  the  extreme  south  part  of  the  Park  there  is  a  ridge 


Fig.   3 — Prairie   South   of   the   Rifle   Range 


GENERAL  ECOLOGY  OF  SWOPE  PARK  15 

where  the  timber  belt  merges  into  the  prairie.  (See  Fig.  3.) 
Here  we  find  some  primeval  prairie  vegetation.  This  is  an  in- 
teresting region,  where  the  timber  and  prairie  meet — interest- 
ing not  only  for  its  vegetation  and  bird  life,  but  also  inter- 
esting because  of  the  most  beautiful  of  panoramic  views  of 
rolling  piles  of  green  forest-clad  hills  and  swaths  of  green 
valleys  in  the  distance,  and  with  park-like  clumps  of  trees 
scattered  over  the  prairie  border  in  the  foreground. 

There  are  two  broad,  natural  meadows  in  the  Park;  one, 
about  sixty  acres  in  extent,  spreads  out  at  the  foot  of  the 
prairie-topped  hills  just  mentioned;  the  other,  of  about  equal 
extent,  lies  near  the  mid-western  portion,  and  was  formed  by 
the  shifting  of  the  Blue  River. 

This  second  meadow  has  now  been  artificially  changed. 
A  bit  of  dredging,  and  the  building  of  a  short  dam  has  formed 
the  Lagoon  out  of  what  was  once  a  horseshoe  bend  of  the  Blue 
River.  A  boathouse  has  been  constructed,  and  an  athletic  field 
with  polo  grounds  has  been  laid  out  over  the  level  expanse 
of  natural  blue  grass  sod.  (See  Fig.  10.)  This  artificiality, 
together  with  the  number  of  people  that  now  frequent  the 
region,  prevents  it  from  being  the  haunt  of  birds  that  it  was 
a  few  years  ago. 

A  few  years  ago  a  brushy  swamp  extended  along  the 
present  route  of  the  Lagoon,  and  a  rank  meadow  lay  off  to 
the  west.  In  those  days  it  was  a  bird  paradise.  Redwinged 
Blackbirds  bound  their  nests  to  the  reeds,  and  Meadowlarks 
and  Dickcissels  hid  their  homes  in  the  tall  grass.  Mice  and 
shrews  dug  branching  runways  arched  over  with  dead  grass, 


16  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

while  Marsh  Hawks  soared  high  then  low  as  they  searched  the 

meadow  for  their  rodent  prey. 

Two  other  cleared  tracts  should  be  mentioned :  These 
are  the  golf  courses;  one  east  of  the  Pavillion  at  the  west  en- 
trance of  the  Park,  the  other  to  the  far  east  across  the  Blue 
River.  Here  the  grass  is  close-cropped,  and  there  are  few  op- 
portunities for  birds  to  hide  their  nests. 

A  considerable  part  of  the  territory  about  the  Pavillion 
and  the  golf  course  is  bordered  with  clumps  of  horticultural 
varieties  of  shrubs,  and  in  some  parts  with  a  natural  growth 
of  buckbrush,  sumach  and  native  trees  of  crab  and  red  haw, 
and  clumps  of  evergreens,  making  excellent  cover  for  certain 
species  of  birds. 

The  opportunities  for  water  birds  in  the  Park  are  but 
limited.  The  Blue  River  is  too  small  to  be  of  much  attrac- 
tion to  them,  and  the  Lagoon  and  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  are 
both  relatively  small,  and  are  lined  with  too  many  human 
fishermen  to  offer  any  inducement  to  the  birds.  It  is  true, 
however,  that  a  few  Green  Herons  fish  along  the  Blue,  and  a 
Kingfisher  or  two  frequent  the  Lake  of  the  Woods.  During 
severe  weather  of  early  migration,  when  few  people  are  in  the 
Park,  weary  waterfowl  occasionally  rest  on  these  small  bodies 
of  water,  and  a  few  shore  birds  wade  out  in  the  shallows  and 
probe  the  mud  for  snails  and  insect  larvae. 

To  summarize :  of  the  one  thousand  three  hundred  thirty- 
two  acres  in  the  Park,  approximately  five  hundred  fifty  acres 
are  lowland,  of  which  four  hundred  acres  are  wooded  and  one 
hundred  fifty  acres  cleared.  About  seven  hundred  ninety  acres 
are  hilly  upland,  some  of  it  quite  rough,  of  which  five  hundred 


GENERAL    DISTRIBUTION    OF    BIRDS  17 

fifty  acres  are  wooded  and  two  hundred  acres  cleared.  Or, 
again,  nine  hundred  forty  acres  are  wooded,  and  four  hundred 
acres  are  open. 


GENERAL  DISTRIBUTION  OF  BIRDS  WITH  REFERENCE 
TO  ECOLOGICAL  REGIONS 


The  chief  ways  in  which  the  bird  life  is  related  to  the 
ecology  of  a  region  is  through  the  dependence  of  the  birds 
upon  their  environment  for  food,  for  nesting  sites,  and  for 
shelter  from  the  weather  and  protection  from  their  enemies. 

Different  species  of  birds  have  different  feeding  habits. 
Some  are  insect  eaters,  some  seed  eaters.  Some  get  their  food 
from  the  water,  some  from  the  ground,  others  from  the  trees, 
and  some  are  birds  of  prey.  Birds  like  the  Downy  Wood- 
pecker, Nuthatch,  Creeper,  Chickadee  and  Titmouse,  get  their 
insect  food  from  the  trunks  and  branches  of  the  trees,  while 
the  Vireos,  most  of  the  Warblers,  the  Orioles  and  others, 
search  the  foliage  for  their  insect  food.  These  birds  may  be 
looked  for  among  the  trees  and  shrubs.  The  Meadowlark, 
Towhee,  Grackle,  Robin,  Water-thrush,  Dickcissel  and  Quail 
are  types  of  birds  that  get  their  food  from  the  ground,  and  so 
far  as  food  alone  is  concerned,  they  might  well  be  found  in 
either  field  or  wood.  But  other  conditions  interfere,  and  dur- 


18  BIRDS   OF   SWOPE  PARK 

ing  the  nesting  season,  we  find  that  the  Wood  Thrush,  Towhee 
and  Water-thrush,  for  instance,  confine  themselves  to  the 
region  of  shrubs  and  trees,  while  the  Quail,  the  Dickcissel,  the 
Meadowlark  and  Horned  Lark  hide  their  nests  in  the  grasses 
of  the  fields  and  meadows. 

Then  there  are  the  Flycatchers  and  the  Swifts  and  the 
Nighthawks  and  the  Swallows — birds  that  find  insect  food  in 
the  air  while  on  the  wing.  One  would  think  that  it  would 
make  but  little  difference  to  them  whether  they  were  in  the 
field  or  wood,  and  to  some  extent,  they  do  have  a  wider  range, 
but  again  other  factors  beside  food  give  some  preference  as 
to  the  regions  they  inhabit. 

Of  almost  equal  importance  with  food  as  a  factor  in  bird 
distribution,  is  their  choice  of  environment  for  their  nesting 
sites.  Some  species  seem  to  prefer  the  protection  offered  by 
proximity  to  man,  while  others  shun  human  beings  and  all 
marks  of  civilization,  and  are  being  driven  to  narrower  and 
narrower  quarters  by  the  encroachment  of  mankind.  This 
latter  is  becoming  of  serious  consequence  with  reference  to  the 
continuation  of  certain  species  in  a  community.  More  mention 
will  be  made  of  this  in  the  discussion  of  the  different  regions 
of  Swope  Park. 

With  the  great  majority  of  birds  we  find  no  appreciable 
change  from  their  nesting  habits  of  the  past.  The  Thrasher 
and  the  Catbird  will  nest  only  in  those  yards  that  are  supplied 
with  a  tangle  of  vines  and  shrubbery.  Bell's  Vireo  is  found 
only  in  connection  with  low  bushes  of  the  more  open  places. 
The  Meadowlark  has  not  been  known  to  desert  the  ground  be- 


GENERAL   DISTRIBUTION   OF   BIRDS  19 

cause  of  the  mower  and  the  plow;  the  Kingfisher  must  still 
have  a  bank  for  his  burrow  and  the  Cardinal  a  bush  for  his 
lodge. 

There  are  always  exceptions  to  rules,  and  the  rules  are 
sometimes  so  greatly  modified  that  by  and  by  the  modifica- 


Fig.  4 — Music  Pavilion 

tion  becomes  the  rule  and  the  old  rule  becomes  the  exception. 
We  find  this  quite  true  in  bird  life.  We  are  all  quite  well 
aware  of  the  fact  that  birds  have  modified  their  nesting  habits. 
The  Eave  Swallow  that  once  used  the  rocks  and  banks,  now 
uses  human  structures  for  the  support  of  its  clay-jug  nests. 


20  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE   PARK 

The  Chimney  Swifts  have  deserted  the  hollow  trees  for  the 
chimneys.  Martins  and  Wrens  are  almost  entirely  dependent 
for  nesting  places  provided  for  by  man. 

In  other  cases  the  rule  of  the  past  is  still  the  rule,  with 
only  an  occasional  exception.  For  instance,  the  Carolina  Wren 
is  still  most  frequently  found  nesting  along  wooded  streams 
in  brush  piles  and  old  stumps,  but  I  have  found  its  nest  in  a 
box  of  old  junk  in  a  wagon  shed  near  a  farm  house.  The 
Mourning  Dove  that  usually  nests  in  shrubs  and  trees,  some- 
times builds  on  the  ground.  I  have  found  its  nest  on  a  project- 
ing ledge  of  moss-covered  rock.  More  unusual  still,  as  it  ap- 
pears to  me,  is  the  case  of  a  Prothonotary  Warbler  reported 
by  an  observer,  who  found  this  bird  starting  a  nest  in  a  tin 
can  which  was  tacked  above  a  rain  barrel.  The  Prothonotary's 
attempt,  however,  was  a  failure,  for  a  wren  appeared  and  was 
too  vigorous  in  his  dispute  over  the  nesting  site.  These  ex- 
ceptions and  modifications  could  be  extended  to  great  length. 

Of  more  interest  and  concern  to  us,  is  the  fact  that  some 
species,  like  the  Robin,  Martin,  House  Wren,  Bluebird,  King- 
bird, Mockingbird,  Catbird,  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  and 
others,  have  left  the  woods  and  secluded  regions  to  nest  in 
door  yards  and  orchards  near  to  human  beings. 

While  the  choice  of  nesting  sites  is  often  a  matter  of  con- 
venience, and  while  the  usual  styles  are  modified  in  particular 
instances,  yet  they  are  never  completely  revolutionized.  The 
Martin  and  the  Wren  and  the  Red-headed  Woodpecker  may 
have  a  change  of  environment,  but  their  nesting  instincts  are 
not  so  completely  changed  that  the  Red-head  will  build  an 


GENERAL   DISTRIBUTION   OF   BIRDS  21 

open  nest  of  grass  and  twigs,  nor  the  Robin  leave  his  plastered 
house  for  a  Woodpecker's  hole. 

To  some  extent  we  find  that  birds  have  changed  their 
feeding  habits  to  adapt  themselves  to  their  changed  environ- 
ment. The  Flicker  that  is  now  more  frequently  found  in  the 
open,  scattered  groves  than  in  the  denser  forests,  has  a  bill 
and  tongue  evidently  designed  to  take  food  from  the  tree 
trunks.  Through  change  of  habitat  or  through  advanced  in- 
stinct, it  has  found  it  easier  to  pick  its  quarry  from  the  ground. 
The  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  enjoying  the  protection  afford- 
ed by  association  with  man,  digs  its  hole  in  a  telephone  pole, 
and  finding  a  scarcity  of  insect  borers  in  the  fewer  trees  about 
its  home,  has  become  a  modified  flycatcher  and  may  be  seen 
darting  about  after  an  insect  in  the  air  after  the  manner  of  a 
Phoebe. 


22  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE   PARK 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  IN  SWOPE  PARK. 


During  the  month  of  June,  1916,  I  made  systematic  sur- 
vey of  Swope  Park  in  order  to  get  a  census  of  the  nesting 
birds  and  to  determine  the  relative  numbers  of  the  different 
species  and  their  distribution. 

Since  the  object  was  to  determine  not  only  the  numbers 
and  species  for  the  Park  as  a  whole,  but  also  for  the  different 
regions  in  the  Park,  the  whole  territory  was  divided  into  a 
number  of  sections  and  each  section  was  studied  separately 
(See  map  of  Park  for  boundary  lines  of  sections  and  num- 
bers. ) 

Both  natural  and  artificial  boundaries  were  chosen  to 
outline  these  sections,  for  instance,  the  Blue  River,  the  railroad 
tracks,  driveways,  ravines,  etc.  These  boundaries  were  chosen 
both  for  convenience  and  also  for  the  purpose  of  having  cer- 
tain ecological  regions  included  in  the  same  section. 

Sometimes  more  than  one  morning  would  be  spent  in  the 
study  of  a  single  section,  but  a  different  portion  was  traveled 
over  each  morning,  and  the  number  of  birds  for  that  section 
was  listed.  Only  adult  male  birds  were  counted,  and  these 
were  determined  chiefly  by  noting  their  songs,  but  to  some  ex- 
tent, by  seeing  the  birds.  At  this  season  of  the  year  the  male 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  23 

birds  are  in  full  song  more  or  less  intermittently  during  the 
morning  hours,  and  bird  students  will  all  agree  that  identifi- 
cation by  their  songs  and  call  notes,  is  one  of  the  most  certain 
means  of  identification  of  birds  in  the  field. 

The  plan  followed  was  to  start  out  early  in  the  morning, 
usually  between  four  and  five  o'clock,  and  walk  back  and 
forth  across  the  section,  stopping  now  and  then  for  a  few 
minutes  to  listen,  and  to  note  carefully  the  bird  calls  within  a 
certain  radius.  Then  I  would  travel  on  till  I  was  beyond  this 
radius  and  make  another  pause;  in  the  meantime  being  on  the 
alert  to  detect  by  eye  or  ear  any  bird  that  had  not  already  been 
listed. 

Several  years  of  practice  in  the  identification  of  birds  by 
their  notes  as  well  as  by  means  of  other  characters  was  the 
necessary  preliminary  preparation  for  the  census.  In  those 
cases  wherein  the  notes  of  the  different  species  were  so  nearly 
alike  as  to  be  indistinguishable,  then  other  means  of  identifi- 
cation were  used.  This  sometimes  necessitated  patient  chas- 
ing, watching  and  waiting,  and  good  use  of  field  glasses.  It 
was  a  sport  far  more  interesting  and  exciting  than  hunting 
with  a  gun.  The  one  who  has  never  gotten  into  the  game  has 
no  idea  of  the  excitement  of  the  chase,  nor  of  the  interest  and 
keen  pleasure  with  which  the  birds  of  one  region  were  com- 
pared with  those  of  another.  Absences  of  looked  for  species 
were  sometimes  the  cause  of  disappointment,  and  again,  new 
and  unlocked  for  species  caused  a  thrill  of  pleasure  and  sur- 
prise. There  were  more  thrills  than  disappointments  and  even 
the  disappointments  added  zest  to  the  chase.  For  instance,  I 
was  disappointed  in  not  finding  the  Yellow  Warblers,  and  am 


24  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE  PARK 

still  hoping  to  find  it  as  a  nesting  bird  in  the  Park,  for  it  is 
quite  common  during  migration,  and  is  found  nesting  in  other 
suburbs  of  the  city. 

No  claim  is  made  of  having  been  able  to  get  the  exact 
number  of  birds,  but  it  is  thought  that  the  error  was  always 
in  the  form  of  an  under  estimate  rather  than  an  over  estimate. 
Very  rarely,  I  think,  was  any  individual  bird  listed  twice,  but 
it  is  evident  that  some  might  have  been  silent  and  hidden  and 
have  escaped  notice  even  in  early  June. 

The  month  of  June  was  selected,  because  by  that  time, 
the  migrating  birds  have  passed  on,  and  only  the  summer  resi- 
dents remain.  Moreover,  in  most  cases,  at  least,  the  young 
birds  have  not  yet  left  the  nest.  In  cases  like  the  Tufted  Tit- 
mouse and  Chickadee  where  some  young  had  left  the  nest,  the 
birds  were  listed  in  groups;  for  instance,  a  flock  of  five  or 
six  Chickadees  in  a  single  clump  of  bushes  were  listed  as  one 
nesting  pair  or  family. 

It  was  a  most  fascinating  study.  I  always  felt  repaid  for 
the  discomforts  and  fatigue  of  rising  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning  and  wading  out  in  the  dew-laden  grass  and  weeds  and 
scrambling  for  miles  through  the  brush,  sometimes  over  soggy 
ground  or  through  slimy  mud.  Frequently  I  was  soaked  to  the 
waist  by  the  wet  foliage,  while  again,  the  mosquitoes  added 
to  the  discomforts. 

But  to  hear  those  wonderful  calls  of  the  birds!  To  see  the 
morning  mist  hang  lazily  over  the  green  treetops  along  the 
Blue  River,  to  see  the  sun  rise  in  indescribable  glory  over  the 
rolling  jumble  of  tree-clad  hills,  and  to  feel  that  I  was  part 
of  the  whole  great  plan  of  nature — all  this  was  worth  twice 


CENSUS   OF  NESTING  BIRDS  25 

the  discomforts  and  effort. 

I  so  often  thought  of  this  quotation  as  I  looked  over  the 
great  panorama  of  hills  and  trees  and  cloud  and  sun,  and 
heard  with  a  thrill  of  wonder  the  answering  bird  notes  ringing 
from  tree  to  tree : 

"How  rich  the  days,  how  poor  are  we! 

The  morning  breaks  upon  what  beauteous  scenes! 

What  gates  of  pearl  let  in  the  blushing  light! 

What  songs  of  herald  angels  might 

We  hear  from  every  mountain  top. 

If  our  souls  but  woke  with  the  opening  of  our  drowsy  lids ! 

But  we  rise  enwrap't  with  cloudy  cares, 

And  dawn  for  us,  means  twilight. 

Drenched  with  fogs  that  hide  the  stars." 

A  reference  to  the  map  will  indicate,  roughly,  the  eco- 
logical regions  of  wooded  areas,  streams  and  cleared  ground. 
The  red  lines  will  show  the  boundaries  of  the  sections,  and 
the  numbers  may  be  of  help  in  locating  the  sections  as  they 
are  referred  to  in  the  text.  Several  changes  and  developments 
in  the  Park  have  been  made  since  the  time  the  census  was 
taken.  A  few  of  the  driveways  indicated  on  the  map  are  not 
yet  built,  but  merely  proposed. 


Fig.  5 — Grove  in  the  Picnic  Grounds 


CENSUS   OF  NESTING  BIRDS  27 


REPORT  ON  SUMMER  BIRDS  OF  THE  PARK  BY 
SECTIONS. 


SECTIONS   NUMBER   1,   2   AND  3 

Sections  number  1,  2  and  3  are  so  closely  related  that 
they  will  be  discussed  collectively.  They  include  the  partly 
open  and  improved  region  about  the  west  entrance  to  the  Park. 
There  is  a  small  grove  of  trees  to  the  north,  but  in  most  places 
they  are  quite  scattered.  The  open  region  is  bordered  in  part 
by  shrubs  and  various  horticultural  plantings. 

This  region  is  the  most  frequented  portion  of  the  Park. 
In  addition  to  the  great  crowds  of  people,  it  is  a  great  resort 
for  Robins,  Thrashers,  Catbirds  and  Wood  Thrushes.  At  the 
time  the  census  was  taken  the  Robins  were  conspicuous  over 
all  of  the  tract,  hopping  about  on  the  lawn  and  singing  glor- 
iously, while  the  Catbirds  and  Thrashers  sang  and  scolded 
from  the  border  of  shrubs  about  the  Pavillion  near  the  Park 
entrance.  This  section  probably  had  a  greater  number  of 
prominent  singers  than  any  other  section  of  the  Park. 

The  grove  of  trees  to  the  north  was  sufficiently  extensive 
and  wild  to  furnish  a  hiding  place  for  a  Screech  Owl,  a  Tufted 
Titmouse  and  the  Chickadee,  and  yet  was  open  enough  and 
had  enough  human  visitors  to  furnish  attractive  nesting  sites 
for  a  number  of  Wood  Thrush.  The  Wood  Thrushes  are  par- 


28  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

tial  to  borders  of  the  woods  and  prefer  to  be  not  too  far  away 
from  human  beings. 

The  considerable  territory  used  for  lawn  and  for  the  golf 
course,  where  the  grass  was  close-cropped,  reduced  the  num- 
ber of  nesting  birds  for  this  region. 

There  was  a  scarcity  of  Bluebirds,  due  probably  to  the 
absence  of  nesting  sites.  A  few  bird  boxes  placed  about  the 
Pavillion  for  Wrens  and  Bluebirds  would  no  doubt  be  occupied 
by  these  birds,  provided  they  received  some  assistance  in  their 
struggle  with  the  English  Sparrows. 

One  Robin  chose  a  projecting  ledge  of  rock  in  the  wall 
of  the  Pavillion  for  a  foundation  for  his  mud-lined  nest,  while 
the  chimneys  gave  nesting  places  for  the  Chimney  Swifts. 

No  Bell's  Vireo  was  found  in  the  region  this  year  (1916), 
but  in  previous  years  I  could  always  find  them  along  a  brushy 
ditch  north  of  the  Pavillion.  This  season  they  seem  to  have 
deserted  this  nesting  place  for  a  vacant  lot  across  the  street. 
A  few  vacant  lots  here  have  grown  up  with  golden-rod,  asters, 
milkweed,  elder  berry  and  elm  sprouts,  and  afford  excellent 
hiding  places  for  their  nests.  A  Mockingbird  and  a  Shrike 
also  nest  in  this  tract  across  the  street  from  the  Park.  They 
might  well  be  classed  as  park  birds. 

In  1914  I  found  a  nest  of  a  Horned  Lark  in  the  grass-plot 
just  west  of  the  Pavillion.  Adding  these  three  latter  birds  to 
the  list  of  summer  birds  for  this  section,  we  have  the  relatively 
large  number  of  27  species  to  be  found  nesting  at  the  very 
front  door  of  the  Park;  but  the  great  throngs  of  people  that 
frequent  this  region  daily  pass  them  by  unnoticed,  or  perhaps 
note  only  the  Robins  and  Thrashers  and  a  very  few  others. 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  29 

The  following  species  were  found  as  summer  birds  for 
this  section.  The  numbers  refer  to  the  number  of  male  birds 
counted,  and  hence  represents  approximately  the  number  of 
nesting  pairs  of  birds.  This  list  and  others  that  follow,  will 
be  given  in  order  of  number  of  birds  found  rather  than  in  the 
ornithological  order.  (See  check  list  on  page  —  for  scientific 
names  of  the  birds.) 

THE  LIST — SECTIONS  NUMBER  1,  2  AND  3 


Robin     14  Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    2 

Brown  Thrasher   12  Crested  Flycatcher    2 

Catbird     10  Bob   White    1 

Wood  Thrush    8  Screech  Owl   1 

Meadowlark 6  Downy  Woodpecker   1 

Blue  Jay    5  Cowbird   1 

Red-headed  Woodpecker    4  Wood  Peewee    1 

Kingbird    4  Towhee     1 

Baltimore   Oriole    4  Tufted  Titmouse    1 

Chimney  Swift    4  Chickadee    1 

Flicker   2  Bluebird    1 

Mourning   Dove 2 

Total  Species,  23;   Male  Birds 88 

SECTION  NUMBER   4 


Section  Number  4  is  more  wooded.  The  trees  are  gen- 
erally larger  but  there  is  not  much  underbrush,  save  in  the 
eastern  half  where  it  slopes  toward  a  small  stream  which  wan- 
ders southeasterly  through  Yate's  Hollow.  (See  map.) 

Yate's  Hollow  is  thickly  overgrown  with  red  haws,  dog- 
wood, buckbrush,  greenbriar,  poison  ivy,  sumach  and  other 
plants  including  the  common  species  of  trees.  It  has  never 
been  cleared  nor  greatly  disturbed,  except  by  the  paths  worn 
by  people  strolling  through  the  Park. 


30  BIRDS  OF   SWOPE   PARK 

Since  this  was  written  a  macadam  boulevard  has  been 
begun  along  the  west  slope  of  the  hollow,  cutting  a  broad 
swath  through  what  was  the  jungle  home  of  Towhees  and 
Thrashers. 

This  section  also  includes  the  picnic  ground  with  its  shel- 
ter house.  This  spot  is  frequented  by  great  crowds  of  people 
throughout  the  summer.  Many  of  the  picnickers  wander  off 
along  the  paths  into  the  more  secluded  jungle  to  the  east. 

Blue-winged  Warblers  nest  regularly  along  the  dry  slopes 
of  the  Hollow,  arriving  in  the  latter  part  of  April.  They  are 
beautiful  yellow  birds  with  bluish  shade  to  the  wings  and  back. 
They  can  be  most  easily  identified  by  their  queer  insect-like 
song,  an  inhaled  note  followed  by  a  queer  grasshopper-like 
exhaled  note. 

A  Yellow-breasted  Chat  also  has  here  a  rendezvous  of 
his  own,  in  perfect  keeping  with  its  reputation  except  that  the 
region  is  now  not  as  secluded  as  we  should  expect  the  Chat  to 
choose.  Perhaps  the  site  was  selected  a  few  years  ago,  before 
the  picnic  grounds  were  arranged,  and  when  the  region  was 
not  so  frequented  as  it  is  now.  The  Chat  has  continued  to  re- 
turn in  spite  of  the  gay  colors  and  loud  voices  of  the  picnic 
parties.  I  wonder  how  many  of  these  gay  strollers  ever  notice 
his  crazy  tilts  and  darts  in  the  air,  or  hear  his  idiotic  calls  and 
jeers  and  ejaculations! 

Very  few  of  the  wanderers  in  the  Park  are  ever  attracted 
by  the  lisping  sizz  of  the  Blue-winged  Warbler.  They  will  hear 
only  the  clearer  notes  of  the  Cardinal  and  the  Meadowlark  and 
Thrasher,  and  may  be  thrilled  by  the  wonderful  melody  of  the 
Wood  Thrushes,  but  they  lose  the  silvery  fairy-bell  tinkle  of 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING   BIRDS  31 

the  Field  Sparrow  and  the  softer  tones  of  the  Kinglet  and 
Chickadee  and  other  more  modest  singers.  How  much  they 
miss ! 

The  Crackles  for  this  region,  as  well  as  for  other  sections 
studied,  vary  greatly  in  numbers  from  day  to  day.  The  lunch 
fragments  left  by  the  picnic  parties  are  great  attractions  to 
these  big  crow-like  birds  as  well  as  to  the  Blue  Jays.  At  times 
dozens  of  Bronze  Crackles  may  be  seen  walking  about  on  the 
grass  or  perched  on  the  benches  and  tables.  It  is  evident  that 
they  do  not  all  nest  here,  but  that  they  fly  to  the  feeding  ground 
from  various  parts  of  the  Park.  For  two  successive  years  a 
pair  nested  in  a  big  elm  tree  near  my  home,  one  block  north 
of  the  Park. 

Squirrels  are  numerous  in  this  part  of  the  Park,  and  no 
doubt  the  squirrels  and  Jays  and  Crackles  help  to  reduce  the 
number  of  other  species  nesting  here,  for  they  are  all  inclined 
to  be  sneaking  nest  robbers. 

THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  4. 

Brown    Thrasher    .12       Catbird    3 

Crested    Flycatcher    9       Blue-winged   Warbler    3 

Towhee    9       Downy   Woodpecker 3 

Cowbird     7       Robin    3 

Blue  Jay   6       Bluebird     3 

Cardinal     5       Bronze    Crackle 2 

Field    Sparrow    5       Red-headed  Woodpecker    2 

Tufted   Titmouse    5       Wood    Peewee    2 

Chickadee    5       Baltimore  Oriole    2 

Indigo  Bunting    4       Blue-gray   Gnatcatcher    2 

Wood   Thrush    4       Chipping  Sparrow    1 

Mourning   Dove    4       Yellow-breasted    Chat 1 

Yellow-billed    Cuckoo     3       Maryland    Yellowthroat    1 

Flicker    3       White-breasted  Nuthatch    1 

Meadowlark    3 

Total  Species,  29;    Male  Birds..  ..113 


32  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

SECTION   NUMBER   5 


Section  Number  5  is  nearly  all  woods  and  unimproved. 
It  consists  of  rocky  hill  slopes  with  the  narrow  valley  of 
Buckeye  Hollow  between.  A  small  area  of  shrubby  grass- 
grown  tract  lies  on  top  of  the  ridge  bordering  the  driveway. 

The  principal  bird-inhabited  region  is  Buckeye  Hollow, 
with  its  stream  and  flood  plain.  This  hollow  is  densely  wood- 
ed with  buckeye  trees  that  grow  in  the  shade  of  elms  and  oaks 
and  walnuts.  The  hillside  facing  the  south  and  west  is  dry 
and  rocky,  and  the  vegetation  is  more  stunted  and  thicket-like. 
Dogwood,  sumach,  wahoo,  wildrose,  bittersweet  and  other 
plants  are  common. 

This  section  is  more  secluded  than  the  former  ones  dis- 
cussed, nevertheless  even  here  there  is  quite  a  disturbance  by 
human  beings,  for  strolling  lovers  wander  down  its  shady 
paths  and  children  in  search  of  wild  flowers  scamper  through 
the  bushes  so  that  the  more  retiring  birds  are  annoyed  by  the 
presence  and  voices  of  mankind. 

This  partial  seclusion  seems  to  be  unfavorable  to  the 
Robin,  the  Thrasher,  Catbird  and  Wood  Thrush.  The  Thrash- 
ers and  Catbirds  that  were  found,  occurred  in  the  southwest 
portion  near  the  driveway  where  they  were  more  exposed  to 
human  surroundings.  The  vegetation  as  a  whole,  is  scarcely 
different  from  most  of  the  preceding  section,  but  we  find 
certain  species  disappearing  and  other  species  appearing  in 
increasing  numbers,  so  that  the  Robins  and  the  Thrashers  no 
longer  head  the  list. 


34  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  5. 

Tufted    Titmouse     ..  10  Meadowlark     2 

Towhee    8  Blue- winged   Warbler    2 

Cardinal    7  Kentucky  Warbler  2 

Chickadee    6  Catbird     2 

Indigo  Bunting   5  Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher    2 

Field    Sparrow    4  Bob   White   Quail    1 

Blue   Jay    4  Red-headed  Woodpecker    1 

American   Crow    3  Kingbird     1 

Crested   Flycatcher    3  Goldfinch     1 

Brown  Thrasher   3  Maryland   Yellowthroat    1 

Flicker    3  Yellow-breasted   Chat    1 

Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    2  Carolina  Wren 1 

Downy   Woodpecker    2  Wood  Thrush   1 

Cowbird    2 

Total  Species,  27 ;    Male  Birds 80 

Note :  This  tract  was  canvassed  in  the  early  morning  of 
June  7th.  On  that  date  I  heard  three  Olive-backed  Thrushes 
singing  their  weirdly  beautiful  songs.  They  had  delayed 
their  northward  migration  journey  unusually  long  and  this  was 
a  surprisingly  late  date  to  find  them  in  this  region.  The  sex 
instincts  of  the  males  had  impelled  them  to  begin  their  love 
songs,  and  there  was  no  mistaking  the  note,  for  when  once 
heard  and  learned,  it  is  never  forgotten.  I  had  heard  faint 
undertone  snatches  of  their  songs  before,  but  never  so  en- 
ticingly thrilling  as  on  this  morning.  I  was  carried  away  in 
memory  to  a  summer  spent  in  the  woods  of  the  Great  North- 
west, where  among  the  firs  and  hemlocks  and  canvas  tents,  I 
learned  to  know  and  to  love  the  indescribable  notes  of  the 
Russet-back  Thrush,  a  western  variety  of  our  Olive-back.  I 
could  recall  no  difference  in  the  songs  of  the  two  birds. 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  35 

SECTION   NUMBER   6 


In  section  number  6  (See  map),  we  again  are  in  regions 
exposed  to  crowds  of  humanity.  It  is  mostly  open  ground 
with  scattered  red  haws  and  open  groves  of  other  trees,  but 
there  are  three  regions  that  are  wooded;  one  a  narrow  thicket- 
ravine,  extends  along  the  driveway  leading  to  the  Zoological 
Gardens,  and  another,  a  rocky  bluff,  borders  the  railroad,  the 
third  is  a  ravine  that  extends  northeast  of  the  Zoo.  All  of 
these  wooded  thickets  are  comparatively  small  and  are  ex- 
posed on  all  sides  to  scores  of  loiterers  and  picnic  parties.  The 
conditions  are  ideal  for  those  birds  that  love  the  proximity  of 
man,  provided  they  have  shelter  and  hiding  places  for  their 
nests.  Therefore,  the  Thrashers,  Jays,  Towhees,  Catbirds  and 
Robins  are  the  most  common  birds,  with  the  Thrasher  far  in 
the  lead. 

These  little  brushy  vales  are  great  haunts  of  the  migrating 
Sparrows  during  early  spring.  It  is  well  worth  one's  while  to 
visit  the  ravine  west  of  the  Zoo  in  March  or  April  and  see  the 
Purple  Finches  feeding  on  the  buckbrush  berries,  or  stop  and 
listen  to  the  gurgled  trills  and  high-piped  notes  of  the  Harris 
Sparrows.  The  White-throat  Sparrows  may  also  be  found 
adding  their  ventriloquistic  powers  for  your  entertainment. 

So  much  of  the  area  in  this  section  number  6  is  taken  up 
by  the  Zoological  Garden  enclosures  which  are  naturally  un- 
favorable for  a  wild  bird  population,  that  a  list  of  one  hundred 
five  nesting  pairs  of  birds  for  the  whole  section  means  a  dense 
bird  population  for  those  parts  that  are  adapted  to  bird  life. 

Bronze  Grackles  are  at  times  found  in  considerable  num- 


36  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

bers,  as  also  are  crows  that  fly  here  to  pick  up  scraps  of  food. 
These,  however,  were  not  included  in  the  list  of  nesting  birds. 
It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  list  for  this  section  with 
that  of  the  preceding,  both  as  to  species  and  as  to  the  birds 
that  are  most  numerous. 

THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  6 

Brown  Thrasher   19       Tufted   Titmouse    3 

Blue   Jay    .  . .  .  = 7       Downy   Woodpecker    2 

Towhee     6       Bluebird     2 

Mourning   Dove    5       Flicker    2 

Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    5       Meadowlark     2 

Catbird   5       American  Goldfinch    2 

Chickadee    5       Hairy   Woodpecker    1 

Robin    5       Red-bellied   Woodpecker    1 

Red-headed  Woodpecker    4       Kingbird     1 

Crested   Flycatcher    4       Bronze    Crackle    1 

Baltimore   Oriole    4       Phoebe    1 

Cardinal     4       Blue-winged   Warbler    1 

Wood  Thrush    4       Shrike     1 1 

Cowbird    3       Chipping  Sparrow    1 

Purple   Martin    ] 

Total  Species,  30;   Male  Birds 105 

SECTION   NUMBER   7 

The  territory  included  in  the  region  numbered  seven,  is 
mostly  open  grassland,  with  a  few  scattered  trees.  One  wooded 
valley  of  about  two  acres  extent  lies  north  of  the  residence  of 
the  foreman  of  the  Park.  A  limestone  ledge  crops  out  along 
the  east  slope  near  the  railroad  tracks.  This  slope  is  partly 
overgrown  with  vines  and  bushes  and  a  few  trees,  in  places 
becoming  a  dense  thicket.  Unfortunately  for  the  birds,  it  is 
hardly  extensive  enough  to  harbor  any  very  great  number  of 
nesting  birds.  Nevertheless,  in  this  bit  of  a  wilderness  there 


Fig.   1 — Autumn   on   the   Blue   River 


38  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

were  three  pairs  of  Indigo  Buntings,  a  Yellow-breasted  Chat,  a 
Scarlet  Tanager,  a  Summer  Tanager  and  a  number  of  other 
common  species. 

Wood  Thrushes  were  common  in  the  bit  of  wooded  val- 
ley. This  is  an  ideal  place  for  them,  for  it  is  near  human  in- 
fluence and  yet  cool  and  well  shaded  and  protected. 

The  only  House  Wren  found  in  the  Park  was  found  about 
the  rubbish  in  the  vicinity  of  the  green  houses.  It  seemed 
strange  that  there  were  not  more  House  Wrens  in  the  Park  for 
there  are  several  residence  buildings  and  sheds  and  conditions 
that  would  seem  to  be  favorable  to  the  Wrens. 

A  lone  Nighthawk  was  seen  among  the  bushes  along  the 
thicket  to  the  east,  where  it  may  have  been  nesting  on  one  of 
the  rock  ledges.  It  was  the  only  one  of  the  species  found  as  a 
summer  bird  in  the  Park.  They  are  very  common,  of  course, 
during  migration. 

THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  7. 

Wood  Thrush    6       Cowbird    2 

Robin    6       Baltimore   Oriole    2 

Brown  Thrasher   5       Scarlet    Tannger     2 

Mourning   Dove    4       Bob  White  Quail    1 

Blue   Jay    4       Downy   Woodpecker    1 

Tufted  Titmouse    4       Red-headed  Woodpecker    1 

Bluebird     4       Flicker 1 

Crested   Flycatcher    3       Night   Hawk    1 

Towhee     3       Orchard    Oriole    1 

Indigo  Bunting  3        Bronze    Crackle    1 

Purple   Martin    3       Chipping  Sparrow    1 

Catbird     3        Cardinal     1 

Chickadee    3        Rose-breasted    Grosbeak     1 

Kingbird     2        Summer  Tanager 1 

Wood   Peewee    2        Yellow-breasted   Chat    1 

House  Wren    1 

Total  Species,  31 ;   Male  Birds 74 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  39 

SECTION   NUMBER   8 


The  morning  this  section  was  canvassed  was  very  wet 
from  a  rain  of  the  night  before.  The  heavy  fog,  the  wet 
grass  and  weeds,  and  the  chilly  air  had  a  great  tendency  to 
dampen  my  enthusiasm  as  well  as  my  clothes. 

The  notes  of  the  Acadian  Flycatcher,  the  Cerulean  War- 
bler, Parula  Warbler,  Kentucky  Warbler  and  a  great  assem- 
blage of  Chickadees,  Buntings  and  Titmice  soon  brought  back 
my  enthusiasm  to  such  a  warmth  that  I  forgot  about  my  soggy 
shoes  and  dripping  trousers.  Anyone  who  could  have  heard 
the  twittering,  warbling,  trilling  chorus  of  beauty  singers  that 
brought  sweetness  and  warmth  of  life  into  the  jungled  woods 
that  morning,  and  still  have  been  aware  of  trivial  discomforts, 
is  no  member  of  Nature  Lover's  Clan.  What  matter  if  the 
leaves  did  drip  water  down  my  back;  a  dozen  Indigo  Birds 
were  singing!  Who  could  think  of  mosquitoes  when  a  Black- 
and-white  Warbler  was  creeping  about  over  the  tree  trunks! 
I  had  not  even  hoped  to  find  the  bird  in  the  Park  during  sum- 
mer. 

At  last  my  census-taking  had  led  me  far  enough  into  the 
wildwood  of  the  Park  to  get  away  from  the  parts  frequented 
by  man,  and  into  parts  inhabited  by  such  birds  as  the  casual 
observer  knows  nothing  about.  It  is  true  that  the  numbers  of 
these  more  retiring  birds  were  but  few,  but  it  was  a  beginning 
which  promised  many  additions  as  I  continued  my  observa- 
tions into  the  deeper  parts  of  the  Park. 

The  west  boundary  of  the  Park  here  has  a  jog  made  by  a 
tract  of  forty  acres  being  under  private  ownership.  It  is  un- 


40  BIRDS   OF   SWOPE  PARK 

fortunate  that  this  is  so,  for  the  forty  acres  excluded  from  the 
Park  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque  regions  to  be  found.  It  is 
the  lower  part  of  a  well  wooded,  rocky  valley  that  has  its  be- 
ginning at  Sixty-ninth  street  and  Cleveland  avenue,  and  ex- 
tends eastward  for  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  to  the  Blue 
River.  Great  masses  of  limestone  have  broken  off  from  the 
ledge  near  the  top  of  the  bluff  and  have  slid  partly  down  the 
steep  slope.  A  fine  alluvial  flood  plain  borders  the  stream 
below.  Both  slope  and  valley  are  well  wooded. 

This  beautiful  valley  is  called  Shiloh  Hollow.  It  fur- 
nishes an  ideal  walk  for  the  nature  lover,  whether  he  be  inter- 
ested in  birds  or  in  flowers  and  trees,  or  merely  in  the  beauty 
of  the  scenery.  It  is  one  of  the  favorite  migration  routes  for 
hundreds  of  Warblers,  Vireos,  Sparrows  and  other  birds,  and 
the  whole  region  should  be  given  some  protection  from  the 
vandals  that  are  already  beginning  to  despoil  it.  There  are 
few  regions  near  the  city  that  are  its  equal  in  picturesque 
beauty,  but  it  is  not  within  the  Park  and  hence  its  interesting 
bird  population  cannot  be  included  in  this  census.* 

*  Since  this  was  written  many  changes  have  taken  place. 
Many  of  the  trees  in  Shiloh  Hollow  have  been  cut.  The  woods 
is  closely  pastured,  the  flowers  mostly  gone  and  the  birds  are 
taking  up  their  abode  elsewhere.  Not  only  have  changes  taken 
place  in  Shiloh,  but  even  in  the  Park.  A  fine  boulevard  has 
been  built  along  the  eastern  edge  of  the 'tract,  and  a  wide 
clearing  made  through  the  central  part  of  the  woods  where  the 
seclusive  Warblers  and  Flycatchers  had  made  their  frontier 
stand. 

The  bordering  region  that  is  included  within  the  Park,  is 


Fig.   8 — Autumn   on   the   Blue   River 


42  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

mostly  dry  upland,  and  lacks  the  rare  beauty  of  Shiloh 
Hollow.  It  is  rather  densely  wooded  and  quite  secluded;  few 
people  caring  to  penetrate  through  the  tangle  of  weeds  and 
brush  beneath  the  scraggly  black  oak  trees.  If  its  boundaries 
could  but  be  made  to  include  Shiloh  Hollow  and  then  the 
whole  made  into  a  bird  sanctuary,  it  might  mean  the  preser- 
vation of  species  of  birds  for  Kansas  City  that  otherwise, 
sooner  or  later,  are  certain  to  be  driven  away. 

The  driveway  indicated  on  the  map  was  not  yet  built  at 
the  time  the  census  was  made. 

THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  8. 

Chickadee    13  Kentucky    Warbler    2 

Indigo    Bunting    12  Bluebird     2 

Tufted    Titmouse     11  Cooper's  Hawk   1 

Red-eyed   Vireo    7  Mourning   Dove    1 

Towhee     5  Red-bellied   Woodpecker    1 

Downy  Woodpecker   4  Wood  Peewee   1 

Goldfinch   4  Kingbird     ". 1 

Acadian  Flycatcher   3  Chipping  Sparrow 1 

Cardinal     3  Blue-winded    Warbler     1 

Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    2  Parula  Warbler    1 

Great   Crested  Flycatcher    2  Cerulean   Warbler    1 

Crow     2  Black-and-white    Warbler    1 

Cowbird    2  Wood  Thrush    1 

Purple   Martin    2  Hummingbird     1 

Total  Species,  28;   Male  Birds 88 

The  Cooper's  Hawk  was  found  on  its  nest  high  up  among 
the  upper  branches  of  a  dead  oak.  Seeing  me,  it  left  its  nest 
and  swooped  directly  toward  me,  but  veered  off  overhead,  ut- 
tering a  few  chuckling  notes. 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  43 

SECTIONS  NUMBER  9,  10,  11  AND  12 


For  convenience,  the  whole  strip  west  of  the  Blue  River, 
between  the  river  and  the  railroad  tracks  is  included  in  one  re- 
port. 

This  was  the  most  difficult  region  to  canvass.  Heavy 
rains  earlier  in  the  season  had  flooded  portions  of  the  valley, 
leaving  a  layer  of  fine  mud  sediment.  Other  rains  during  the 
census,  kept  the  mud-bespattered  weeds  and  grasses  wet,  and 
made  the  flood  sediment  a  soft,  slippery,  slimy  ooze. 

The  tract  is  all  flood  plain,  and  nearly  all  wooded.  The 
few  open  places  being  small,  brushy  meadows  along  the  rail- 
road track,  and  portions  of  the  old  South  Nursery. 

The  wooded  part  of  the  strip  is  similar  throughout,  with 
reference  to  elevation,  drainage  and  vegetation,  but  different 
parts  differ  with  reference  to  seclusion  from  mankind.  De- 
pending on  this  seclusion,  there  are  some  rather  noticeable  dif- 
ferences in  the  distribution  of  birds.  For  instance,  the  horse- 
shoe bend  of  the  river  included  in  section  10,  is  rather  isolated 
from  human  interference,  only  an  occasional  fisherman  wan- 
dering through  the  deep  shade  of  its  elms  and  buckeyes.  There 
are  no  Thrashers  nor  Wood-Thrushes  nor  Catbirds  nor  Robins 
nor  Towhees  nor  Bluebirds  to  be  found  in  this  section  during 
the  nesting  period.  A  few,  however,  were  found  in  the  region 
of  the  railroad  station  where  human  influence  seems  to  have 
offered  attraction  to  these  species. 

The  old  South  Nursery  is  little  frequented  and  although 
it  is  partly  open,  brushy  territory  fringed  with  thick  woods, 
there  were  no  Thrashers  nor  Catbirds  nor  Towhees  found 


44  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE   PARK 

nesting  here.     In  contrast  to  this,  compare  the  more  frequented 

North    Nursery    discussed    on    page.    45. 

The  far  off  triangular  corner  numbered  12,  is  a  fragment 
of  one  of  the  best  bird  regions  in  the  Park.  The  bordering 
country  to  the  south  and  east  is  well  wooded  and  well  popu- 
lated by  those  species  that  love  the  seclusion  of  the  unfre- 
quented woods  and  stream.  Again,  for  the  sake  of  a  long 
list,  I  regretted  that  the  Park  did  not  include  another  forty 
acres  of  bordering  land,-  The  small  triangular  strip  numbered 
12,  however,  is  well  worth  visiting  by  the  bird  lover.  Acadian 
Flycatchers,  Red-eyed  Vireos,  White-eyed  Vireos,  Redstarts, 
Cerulean  Warblers,  Parula  Warblers,  Kentucky  Warblers  and 
Worm-eating  Warblers  were  found.  These  are  all  birds  that 
seek  the  more  secluded  regions.  They  are  valuable  and  all 
the  more  interesting  because  of  the  haunts  they  inhabit.  Oven- 
birds  also  were  probably  here,  but  I  failed  to  find  any  during 
the  trip.  Here,  again,  we  may  look  in  vain  for  the  Wood 
Thrush,  the  Thrasher  and  the  Towhee,  and  other  birds  that 
love  the  companionship  of  man. 

It  was  in  this  section  that  a  Worm-eating  Warbler  flew 
down  to  a  low  shrub  near  which  I  was  standing.  There  was 
an  eager  fluttering  and  chirping  and  I  saw  the  parent  bird 
drop  a  worm  into  the  open  mouth  of  its  fledged  young.  What 
a  thrill  the  sight  gave  me!  Before  that  time  I  did  not  even 
suspect  that  the  Wrorm-eating  Warbler  nested  in  the  Park.  Fol- 
lowing lists  will  show  that  the  bird  is  not  at  all  uncommon  as 
a  summer  bird  in  the  Park,  but  it  must  be  looked  for  in  its 
proper  environment  of  secluded  woods-covered  slopes. 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  45 

THE  LIST — SECTIONS  NUMBER  9,  10,  11  AND  12 

Chickadee    25  Cerulean  Warbler    3 

Tufted   Titmouse    20  Redstart    3 

Indigo    Bunting    16  Carolina  Wren    3 

Cardinal     11  Scarlet  Tanager   2 

Parula   Warbler    10  Maryland    Yellowthroat     2 

Downy  Woodpecker 9  Yellow-breasted   Chat    2 

Crested   Flycatcher    9  Bluebird     2 

Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    8  Green  Heron 2 

Red-eyed   Vireo    8  Phoebe    2 

Crow     7  Acadian  Flycatcher   2 

Kentucky    Warbler    7  Meadowlark     2 

Wood  Thrush    7  Kingfisher    1 

Red-bellied    Woodpecker    5  Hairy   Woodpecker    1 

Blue   Jay    5  Flicker    1 

Field    Sparrow 5  Baltimore   Oriole    1 

Wood  Peewee   4  Louisiana  Water  Thrush    1 

Goldfinch  4  Brown  Thrasher  1 

Dickcissel     4  Robin    1 

Bronze    Grackle    3  Worm-eating    Warbler    1 

Chipping  Sparrow 3  Yellow-throated    Vireo    1 

Total  Species,  41;  Male  Birds 211 

SECTION   NUMBER   13 


Section  13  is  like  numbers  10  and  11  in  every  respect  ex- 
cept that  it  is  more  frequented  and  disturbed  by  man.  There 
is  a  cottage  in  the  nursery  where  the  gardener  with  his  family 
live.  The  nursery  itself,  is  cultivated  and  affords  fewer  hid- 
ing places  for  the  birds  and  their  nests  than  does  the  Old 
South  Nursery. 

The  woods  to  the  north  of  the  nursery  is  identical  with 
that  of  section  10  in  the  horseshoe  bend  of  the  Blue  River. 
There  are  great  cork  elms  and  other  trees,  with  a  lower  stratum 
of  buckeye  trees,  various  bushes  and  vines.  This  dense  woods, 
however,  is  bordered  on  three  sides  by  regions  that  are  fre- 


46  BIRDS   OF   SWOPE  PARK 

quented  by  man,  with  the  result  that  the  bird  population  is 
somewhat  different  from  the  more  secluded  section  of  num- 
ber 10.  There  were  numbers  of  Wood  Thrushes,  Crested  Fly- 
catchers, Brown  Thrashers  and  even  Robins,  a  Towhee  and  a 
Catbird. 

Along  the  Blue  River  and  the  smaller  stream  to  the  east, 
the  woods  is  not  bordered  by  regions  frequented  by  man  and 
here  were  found  Kentucky  Warblers,  Parula  Warblers,  Ceru- 
lean Warblers,  the  Louisiana  Water  Thrush  and  the  Vireos. 

The  thick  shady  woods,  with  a  large  number  of  broken 
limbs,  knot  holes  and  rubbish,  was  a  great  attraction  for  the 
nesting  Chickadees  and  Tufted  Titmice,  which  were  much  in 
evidence. 

The  more  open  ground  of  the  nursery  produced  the  Gold- 
finches and  the  Sparrows. 

THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  13. 

Wood    Thrush    13       Parula  Warbler    3 

Tufted    Titmouse     12       Wood  Peewee   3 

Chickadee    10       Crow    2 

Cerulean  Warbler    9       Field   Sparrow    2 

Blue   Jay    8       Scarlet  Tanager   2 

Cowbird    8       Redstart    2 

Red-eyed  Vireo  8       Carolina  Wren   2 

Crested   Flycatcher    7       Robin    2 

Indigo    Bunting 7       Green  Heron   1 

Downy   Woodpecker    6       Screech    Owl    1 

Cardinal     6       Flicker    1 

Kentucky  Warbler    6       Hairy  Woodpecker   1 

Brown  Thrasher 5       Hummingbird    1 

Goldfinch     4       Towhee     1 

Yellow-bellied    Woodpecker    ...  3       Summer  Tanager   1 

Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    3       Louisiana  Water  Thrush    1 

Chipping  Sparrow    3        Catbird     1 

Total  Species,  34;  Male  Birds 144 


48  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE   PARK 

SECTION   NUMBER   14 


One  of  the  most  interesting  walks  of  the  whole  investiga- 
tion was  the  canvass  of  the  Old  Rifle  Range  and  the  country 
bordering  it.  The  Rifle  Range  itself,  is  a  brOad  meadow  of 
blue  grass  and  weeds.  Bordering  it  to  the  east  is  a  still  more 
extensive  meadow  of  alfalfa  and  timothy,  with  plenty  of 
daisy,  f leabane  and  other  weeds. 

Off  to  the  south  lies  a  range  of  hills  and  rock  ledges. 
The  upper  slopes  are  covered  with  prairie  vegetation,  but 
lower  down  the  slope  this  merges  into  a  tangled  growth  of 
brush  and  trees.  (See  page  — .) 

Along  the  Blue  River  is  a  strip  of  dense  woods  inhabited 
by  Warblers,  Titmice  and  Chickadees. 

The  meadow  is  remarkable  for  its  number  of  Dickcissels. 
Their  notes  were  ringing  out  in  all  directions.  Every  weed 
stalk  was  a  chorister's  platform.  It  was  impossible  to  accur- 
ately count  the  singers,  but  a  conservative  estimate  was  made 
by  counting  the  singing  birds  over  a  narrow  strip  and  then 
multiplying  this  by  the  number  of  similar  strips  included  in 
the  tract.  This  estimate  gave  fifty  male  Dickcissels  for  the 
whole  section  which  I  think  is  not  far  from  correct. 

The  thicket-like  extension  of  the  bordering  woods  that 
projected  into  the  meadow,  was  a  favorite  place  for  the  White- 
eyed  Vireo.  One  of  these  birds  gave  me  an  excellent  demon- 
stration of  his  vocal  powers.  He  was  truly  a  great  singer,  with 
a  wonderful  variety  of  trills  and  warbles,  yet  he  always  kept 
the  peculiar  quality  of  the  White-eyed  Vireo.  The  variations, 
however,  were  so  great  that  I  was  obliged  to  stop  and  spend 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  49 

nearly  a  half  hour  trying  to  get  a  satisfactory  view  of  the  shy 
ventriloquist.  He  persisted  in  keeping  hidden  behind  a  leafy 
screen  and  I  could  not  tell  by  the  sound  whether  he  was  near 
or  far.  or  to  the  right  or  to  the  left. 

Off  to  the  south,  along  a  rocky  ledge  where  the  woods 
and  prairie  meet,  a  Blue-winged  Warbler  flushed  up  from  my 
very  feet.  It  rested  on  a  twig  only  a  few  yards  away  and  dis- 
played all  of  its  beautiful  colors  and  markings,  even  to  the 
black  streak  from  bill  to  the  eye.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  I 
had  almost  stepped  on  it  I  had  trouble  in  finding  the  nest,  so 
well  was  it  hidden  in  a  clump  of  blue-stem  grass  and  ironweed. 
The  nest  contained  three  newly  hatched  birds  and  two  eggs 
and  was  well  constructed  with  an  outer  covering  of  dead  leaves 
and  an  inner  lining  of  delicate  grass  rootlets  and  fiber. 

Mr.  Harry  Harris  reported  finding  a  nest  and  egg  of  the 
Turkey  Buzzard  in  this  same  region  a  few  weeks  earlier.  The 
rock  crevices  afford  good  nesting  sites  for  this  big  bird,  and 
in  all  probability  more  than  one  nesting  pair  might  have  been 
found. 

The  best  find  for  the  section  was  made  about  a  month 
after  the  regular  census-taking  trip.  On  July  8th  a  pair  of 
Prothonotary  Warblers  were  found  in  a  fringe  of  wood  along 
the  Blue  River  just  north  of  the  Rifle  Range.  The  parent 
warblers  were  feeding  their  fully  fledged  young  that  had  left 
the  nest,  but  were  still  clamoring  for  help  from  the  "home 
folks."  It  was  rare  sport  to  watch  them,  for  while  they  are 
common  enough  as  nesting  birds  in  the  woods  along  the  Mis- 
souri River,  they  are  not  at  all  common  this  far  from  the 


50  BIRDS  OF   SWOPE  PARK 

River.     These  were  the  only  Prothonotary  Warblers  found  in 

the  Park  as  summer  birds. 

The  Rifle  Range  is  no  longer  used  as  a  shooting  ground, 
and  the  region  is  quite  undisturbed.  The  meadow  is  cut,  but 
most  of  the  Meadowlarks  have  left  the  nest  before  the  mower 
disturbs  them.  The  Dickcissels  are  not  always  so  fortunate 
and  many  a  nest  is  torn  up  by  the  hayrake. 

Note :  In  June,  1918,  and  therefore  a  later  record  than 
the  regular  census,  I  found  a  Grasshopper  Sparrow  collecting 
worms  in  the  alfalfa  meadow.  This  brands  it  as  a  nesting  bird 
for  the  region  and  adds  another  to  the  total  for  the  Park.  A 
week  earlier  I  heard  and  saw  a.  number  in  the  meadow,  and 
I  have  no  doubt  that  a  half  dozen  or  more  Grasshopper  Spar- 
rows nest  regularly  in  the  region,  but  they  are  so  shy  and 
have  such  a  habit  of  sneaking  under  the  grass  and  remaining 
out  of  sight  that  it  is  almost  an  accident  to  find  them. 


Fig.  10 — A  Bit  of  the.  Lagoon  and  Its  Border  Land 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS 
THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  14. 


51 


Dickcissel     50 

Indigo    Bunting    17 

Chickadee    17 

Tufted   Titmouse    12 

Cardinal     9 

Yellow-billed  Cuckoo    8 

Downy   Woodpecker    8 

Red-eyed   Vireo    8 

Meadowlark     7 

Field    Sparrow    7 

Maryland    Yellowthroat    6 

Ve11ow-breasted    Ctat     6 

Blue   Jay    5 

Goldfinch     5 

Red-bellied   Woodpecker    4 

Crested   Flycatcher    4 

Scarlet   Tanager    4 

White-eyed    Vireo    4 

Cerulean    Warbler     4 

Blue-winged  Warbler    4 


Kentucky    Warbler    4 

Wood  Peewee   3 

Crow     3 

Cowbird    3 

Carolina  Wren 3 

Chipping  Sparrow    2 

Parula  Warbler    2 

Louisiana  Water  Thrush    2 

American   Redstart    2 


Hairy   Woodpecker    

Flicker    

Kingbird     

Phoebe 

White-breasted    Nuthatch 

Bluebird     

Black-and-white  Warbler 
Prothonotary    Warbler 


.  1 

.  1 

.  1 

.  1 

.  1 

.  1 

.  1 

.  1 

Cooper's    Hawk    , 1 


Sparrow  Hawk 
Turkey  Buzzard 


Total  Species,  40;   Male  Birds 224 

(This    does    not   include    the    Grasshopper    Sparrow    and 
the  Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher  found  at  a  later  date.) 


Fig.  11 — Wildcat  Hollow  is  still  frequented  by  wild  birds  in  spite 
of  the  motor  cars. 


52 


BIRDS  OF   SWOPE   PARK 
SECTION  NUMBER  15 


This  embraces  the  great  open  meadow  about  the  Lagoon, 
where  conditions  are  now  quite  artificial  and  where  few  birds 
have  opportunity  for  nesting.  A  few  years  ago  this  was  one 
of  the  greatest  bird  resorts  for  the  whole  Park.  At  that  time 
the  region  about  the  Lagoon  was  as  great  a  resort  for  Dick- 
cissels  and  Meadowlarks  as  the  Rifle  Range  now  is.  The  woods 
to  the  north  and  east  was  also  then  a  primeval  wilderness  for 
the  more  retiring  birds.  The  building  of  a  macadam  road  up 


Fig.   \\-Wildcat  Hollow   Is  Still  Frequented   by    Wild  Birds   in  Spite 
of  the  Motor  Cars 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS 


53 


Wild-cat  Hollow,  together  with  the  crowds  now  frequenting 
the  bordering  meadow  and  the  Lagoon,  has  brought  about  a 
great  change. 

Some  few  of  the  more  retiring  species,  however,  still  stay 
in  the  woods  by  the  stream  and  inhabit  the  slope  farther  north 
and  east,  but  the  meadow  is  almost  deserted  by  birds  in  sum- 
mer. 

Still  farther  north,  but  outside  of  the  Park,  a  change  in 
the  course  of  the  Blue  River  years  ago,  has  left  a  low  swampy 
place  now  overgrown  with  marsh  mallows,  button-bush  and 
other  swamp  plants.  A  number  of  Red-wing  Blackbirds  nest 
here. 

THE  LIST — SECTION  15 


Worm-eating    Warbler    3 

Scarlet  Tanager   3 

Wood  Thrush   . .  3 

Hairy   Woodpecker    2 

Bronze  Crackle  2 


Tufted   Titmouse    18 

Chickadee     13 

Meadowlark     9 

Red-eyed   Vireo    9 

Downy   Woodpecker    8 

Cardinal     7 

Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    6 

Blue   Jay    6 

Crested    Flycatcher    5 

Wood  Peewee   5 

Indigo    Bunting    5 

Cerulean  Warbler    5 

Kentucky  Warbler   5 

Redstart    5 

Blue-gray   Gnatcatcher    5 

Carolina   Wren    5 

Red-headed   Woodpecker    4 

Red-bellied   Woodpecker    4 

Dickcissel     4 

Parula  Warbler    4 

Crow     3 

Cowbird    3 

Total  Species,  44;   Male  Birds .172 


Louisiana  Water  Thrush   .  .  . 

2 

Yellow-breasted    Chat     

2 

Black-and-white    Warbler     .  . 

...  2 

Sparrow    Hawk    

1 

Mourning   Dove    

1 

Kingbird     

1 

Acadian  Flycatcher   

1 

Phoebe    

1 

Baltimore   Oriole    

1 

Field    Sparrow    

1 

Towhee     

! 

White-eyed    Vireo    

1 

Maryland   Yellowthroat 

1 

Catbird     

1 

Brown  Thrasher   

1 

Summer  Tanager   

1 

54  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE   PARK 

SECTION   NUMBER    16 


Section  Number  16  was  so  large  and  so  densely  over- 
grown that  it  was  canvassed  with  difficulty.  Part  of  the  dry, 
post  oak-covered  ridge  between  Southeast  Hollow  and  Hazel 
Dell  was  passed  over  rather  hastily.  The  ground  was  covered 
with  bittersweet  vines,  blackberry  vines,  shrubs  and  brush, 
which  not  only  made  travel  difficult  but  also  made  it  difficult 
to  determine  the  exact  amount  of  territory  explored. 

The  birds  were  not  at  all  numerous  in  this  dry  upland. 
Those  found  were  mostly  Indigo  Buntings,  Gnatcatchers,  a 
few  Chickadees  and  now  and  then  a  stray  of  some  other 
species. 

While  the  upland  was  not  so  well  inhabited,  the  slopes  of 
Southeast  Hollow  and  the  similar  region  in  Hazel  Dell  to  the 
north  are  at  present  the  best  bird  lands  in  the  Park  for  the 
more  retiring  species.  These  slopes  are  well  wooded,  and  ex- 
cept in  the  very  driest  weather,  well  watered  by  the  humidity 
from  the  little  stream  and  moist  valley  below.  They  are  wild 
and  picturesque  and  beautiful. 

Present  plans  of  the  Park  Board,  if  carried  out,  will 
doubtless  interfere  somewhat  with  the  bird  population  of  this 
fine  region.  These  plans,  as  indicated  on  the  map,  include  an 
automobile  road  through  Southeast  Hollow  and  another  one 
leading  down  into  the  head  of  Hazel  Dell.  These  improve- 
ments will  be  met  with  favor  by  the  great  majority  of  people 
who  wish  to  see  the  beauties  of  the  Park  from  an  automobile. 
But  they  will  not  be  quite  so  welcomed  by  the  naturalist,  who 
looks  with  suspicion  on  all  artificiality.  Personally,  I  belong 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  55 

to  the  minority  and  to  me  the  honk  of  the  auto  horn  and  the 
rattle  of  the  car  in  such  a  region  jars  the  celestial  harmonies 
of  nature.  The  fragrance  of  the  wild  flowers  is  marred  by  the 
odor  of  gasoline.  I  can  but  foresee  that  the  more  shy  feath- 
ered friends  of  man  will  be  driven  from  the  Park,  and  in  the 
course  of  time,  completely  exterminated,  but  perhaps  I  am  too 
pessimistic  as  well  as  too  selfish.  Nevertheless,  there  is  good 
argument  in  favor  of  having  some  part  of  the  Park  left  in  all 
of  its  natural,  wonderful  wildness  as  a  rendezvous  of  the  birds, 
of  the  wild  flowers  and  of  the  nature  lover. 

I  find  it  difficult  to  distinguish  the  note  of  the  Ovenbird 
from  the  note  of  the  Kentucky  Warbler  when  heard  separate- 
ly or  at  a  distance.  This  difficulty  brought  me  a  most  inter- 
esting experience.  On  the  south  slope  of  Hazel  Dell  I  crept  up 
a  little  ravine  in  order  to  identify  one  of  these  species  by  sight 
that  I  heard  singing  at  intervals.  After  a  little  I  sat  down  to 
listen  and  locate  the  bird  when  suddenly  I  was  thrilled  by  see- 
ing an  Ovenbird  fly  into  the  low  branches  of  an  oak  and  feed 
her  new  fledged  young.  What  a  great  sight  to  find  a  whole 
family  of  this  rather  rare  bird!  But  surprises,  like  troubles, 
sometimes  do  not  come  singly.  I  had  hardly  recovered  from 
the  shock  of  finding  the  Ovenbird  when  another  thrill  was 
added  by  finding  only  a  few  yards  away,  a  brood  of  Black-and- 
white  Warblers,  with  the  parent  birds  fluttering  about.  Only 
the  bird  lover  can  appreciate  the  situation. 

To  add  to  the  excitement,  a  Worm-eating  Warbler  and  a 
White-eyed  Vireo  were  both  singing  near  by,  and  off  across 
the  stream  I  could  hear  both  the  Parula  and  the  Cerulean 
Warblers  singing  from  the  tree  tops.  Now  and  then,  an 


Fig.    13 — Bethany   Falls    Limestone    Where    Buzzards    Nest   and    Where 
Rattlesnakes   Are   Said   to   Hide 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  57 

Acadian  Flycatcher  sounded  his  woodsy  whistle,  and  I  could 
occasionally  see  the  gleam  of  orange  and  black  of  Redstarts  as 
they  flitted  among  the  green  leaves  for  their  food.  An  acro- 
batic Chat  tippled  up,  then  down  from  his  perch  as  he  whis- 
tled and  jeered  at  the  other  birds;  and  all  about  were  thick 
woods  and  flowers  and  ferns  and  dripping  dew. 

Across  on  the  north  side  of  Southeast  Hollow  a  promi- 
nent, broken  limestone  ledge  crops  out,  and  all  along  here  I 
found  several  roosting  places  of  the  Turkey  Buzzards.  I  dis- 
covered no  nests  nor  eggs,  but  really  did  not  take  time  to  stop 
and  hunt  the  crevices  of  the  rocks.  The  big  black  aviators  are 
seen  floating  about  high  in  the  air  over  this  region  from  early 
March  throughout  the  summer.  It  is  interesting  to  watch 
them.  Their  roosting  places,  however,  are  not  so  fascinating. 

THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  16 

Indigo    Bunting    38  Parula  Warbler    6 

Tufted   Titmouse    33  Goldfinch     5 

Chickadee    33  White-eyed  Vireo   4 

Kentucky    Warbler    22  Blue-winged   Warbler    4 

Red-eyed    Vireo    22  Ovenbird     4 

Downy    Woodpecker    16  Carolina  Wren 4 

Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    15  Blue-gray   Gnatcatcher    4 

Acadian  Flycatcher   13  Summer  Tanager   3 

Turkey  Buzzard    12  Yellow-breasted   Chat    3 

Crested   Flycatcher    10  American   Redstart    2 

Cerulean  Warbler    10  Bluebird 2 

Worm-eating    Warbler    10  Yellow-throated    Vireo    2 

Red-bellied   Woodpecker    9  Bob  White 1 

Hairy   Woodpecker    9  Cooper's    Hawk    1 

Blue   Jay    9  Flicker 1 

Wood  Peewee   8  Hummingbird    1 

Cardinal    8  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak   1 

Wood  Thrush    8  Purple   Martin . .  .  . .  1 

Crow    6  Black-and-white  Warbler   1 

Scarlet  Tanager   6 

Total  Species,  39;  Male  Birds 357 


58 


BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 
SECTION   NUMBER   17 


Several  different  trips  were  made  in  the  canvass  of  Sec- 
tion 17.  One  of  these  trips  included  a  whole  night  spent  on 
the  ridge  bordering  the  golf  links.  I  wanted  to  get  some  esti- 
mate of  the  number  of  Whippoorwills  in  this  section  of  the 
Park,  and  also  to  listen  to  the  Owls,  and  to  any  other  night 
sounds. 

The  Whippoorwills   sang   intermittently   all   through   the 


Fig.    14 — Young    Whippoorwills    in   Hazel   Dell 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  59 

night  and  they  could  be  heard  from  all  directions.  They  were 
still  singing  at  5  :30  A.  M.  during  one  of  my  early  morning 
trips. 

Other  parts  of  the  Park  are  equally  favorable  for  the 
Owls  and  the  Whippoorwills,  and  no  doubt  they  are  distributed 
over  the  greater  portion  of  the  Park  woods,  but  I  did  not  have 
the  opportunity  of  making  night  trips  to  all  of  the  sections. 
From  my  home  I  frequently  have  heard  them  singing  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  Park,  especially  during  the  early  part 
of  the  summer. 

During  the  summer  of  1917,  through  the  help  of  two  bird 
students,  I  was  directed  to  a  mother  Whippoorwill  and  her  two 
young  in  the  woods  just  east  of  Hazel  Dell  and  outside  of  the 
Park.  I  succeeded  in  getting  a  good  picture  of  the  young. 
The  mother  was  so  concerned  over  the  matter  that  she  perched 
on  a  limb  within  fifteen  feet  of  me  and  even  gave  me  a  chance 
of  getting  a  picture  of  her. 

The  greater  part  of  Section  17  is  dry  upland.  It  was  over- 
run with  Indigo  Buntings,  Titmice,  Gnatcatchers  and  Kentucky 
Warblers,  as  the  list  at  the  end  of  this  discussion  will  show. 
These  more  numerous  birds  were  distributed  over  the  dryer 
upland,  while  most  of  the  others  were  found  nearer  the  more 
moist  region  of  Hazel  Dell. 

Besides  the  dry  upland,  the  section  includes  the  north 
slope  of  Hazel  Dell,  and  also  a  branch  hollow  extending  off 
to  the  northeast.  These  ravines  are  well  wooded  and  are  well 
adapted  to  the  wood-loving  species  that  seek  retirement.  Here 
were  found  many  Chickadees  and  Red-eyed  Vireos  and  Ken- 
tucky Warblers  and  Flycatchers. 


60  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

The  rather  extensive  golf  links  in  this  part  of  the  Park 
are  unfavorable  for  birds,  and  but  few  were  found  over  the 
close-cropped  sod. 

The  steep  slope  to  the  west,  leading  down  toward  the 
Lagoon,  seems  to  be  the  especial  home  of  the  Crows;  a  num- 
ber of  nests  and  young  were  found.  Evidently  the  Crows  nest 


Fig.   15 — Shrubby  Sunny  Slopes    Where  Indigo   Birds  Resort.     Nest  of 

Indigo  Bird 


CENSUS   OF   NESTING   BIRDS  61 

and  roost  here  and  then  fly  across  to  the  picnic  grounds  for 
much  of  their  food. 

People  are  coming  to  this  part  of  the  Park  in  increasing 
numbers  during  the  past  few  years  and  many  improvements 
are  in  operation.  Up  to  the  present  time  there  has  been  but 
little  effect  on  the  birds.  The  proposed  drives  and  the  new 
Club  House  that  is  planned  will  no  doubt  soon  make  a  differ- 
ence in  the  bird  population.* 

*At  this  time,  1920,  there  have  been  many  changes  in  this 
region.  A  drive  has  been  built  winding  up  the  steep  west 
hillside.  A  large  club  house  has  been  built  for  the  golfers, 
a  tomb  in  memory  of  Colonel  Swope  has  been  erected,  and 
many  people  now  wend  their  way  up  over  the  hills  to  see  the 
sights  or  to  play  golf,  or  to  have  a  picnic  lunch. 
THE  LIST — SECTION  NUMBER  17 

Indigo    Bunting    57  Hairy   Woodpecker    5 

Tufted   Titmouse    29  Turkey  Buzzard    4 

Kentucky  Warbler   26  Red-bellied   Woodpecker    3 

Red-eyed    Vireo    24  Scarlet  Tanager   3 

Blue-gray    Gnatcatcher     23  Redstart 3 

Chickadee    22  Ovenbird    3 

Cowbird    20  White-eyed    Vireo    3 

Crow     16  Cerulean   Warbler    2 

Downy   Woodpecker    15  Yellow-breasted   Chat    2 

Blue   Jay    14  Blue-winged  Warbler    2 

Crested   Flycatcher    13  Summer  Tanager 2 

Wood  Peewee 11  Kingfisher    1 

Yellow-billed   Cuckoo    11  Horned   Owl    1 

Goldfinch     9  Screech  Owl    1 

Cardinal    9  Red-headed  Woodpecker 1 

Acadian  Flycatcher   8  Meadowlark     1 

Worm-eating    Warbler    7  Purple   Martin    1 

Whippoorwill     6  Field    Sparrow    1 

Parula  Warbler    6  Louisiana  Water  Thrush 1 

Total  Species,  38;   Male  Birds 375 


62  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

Most  readers  will  be  surprised  at  the  results  of  the  cen- 
sus. I  have  asked  several  people  to  guess  which  bird  was  the 
most  numerous  in  the  Park  during  the  summer.  Each  gave  a 
different  answer,  some  guessing  the  Robin,  some  the  Mourn- 
ing  Dove,  some  the  Blue  Jay  but  none  guessing  the  Indigo 
Bunting.  In  nearly  every  case  the  "guess"  was  some  bird 
more  frequently  seen  about  the  home  or  in  the  more  frequented 
parts  of  the  Park.  Previous  to  the  census,  my  own  guess 
would  have  been  of  this  character. 

The  Robin,  the  Thrasher,  the  Dove  and  the  Towhee  are 
most  conspicuous  and  numerous  in  the  regions  most  frequented 
but  away  out  in  the  Park  over  the  dry  hilltops  and  slopes  cov- 
ered with  a  scraggy  growth  of  pots  oak,  fragrant  sumach  and 
other  shrubbery  trees  and  bushes  and  tangled  vines,  the  In- 
digo Bunting  finds  both  the  sunshine  and  the  shelter  that  seems 
to  appeal  to  his  bird-sense. 

In  the  regions  of  heavier  timber  along  the  valley  of  the 
Blue  River  and  of  the  tributary  streams,  where  broken  limbs 
and  dead  stubs  and  drift  rubbish  accumulate,  there  the  Chicka- 
dees and  the  Tufted  Titmice  find  their  ideals  of  nesting  places 
and  of  food.  Since  both  of  these  types  of  territory  are  still 
quite  extensive  in  the  Park  we  find  the  Indigo  Bunting,  the 
Tufted  Titmouse  and  the  Chickadee  take  the  lead  in  point  of 
numbers  for  the  summer  birds  of  the  Park. 

A  further  study  of  the  list  will  show  some  interesting 
comparisons.  For  instance,  in  the  Park  during  the  summer 
there  are  more  Parula  Warblers  than  Robins;  more  Worm- 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  63 

eating  Warblers  than  Doves;  more  Blue-winged  Warblers  than 
Orioles;  more  Kentucky  Warblers  than  Thrashers;  more 
Ovenbirds  than  Wrens. 

Two  hundred  forty-four  Warblers  of  12  different  species 
nest  in  the  Park;  105  singing  virees  of  5  different  species 
were  counted;  156  flycatchers  representing  5  different  species 
were  found.  These  numbers  refer  to  male  birds  only.  How 
many  of  these  birds  are  known  by  the  throngs  of  people  who 
walk  or  drive  through  the  Park? 

It  is  hoped  that  this  report  will  stimulate  a  desire  on 
the  part  of  the  reader  to  become  acquainted  with  some  of 
these  numerous  feathered  friends.  As  Miss  Blanchan  says, 
"We  ought  to  have  at  least  a  bowing  acquaintance  with  those 
friends  of  our  very  doorstep  who  do  us  the  most  good." 

Before  leaving  this  •  discussion  of  the  summer  birds  of 
Swope  Park,  it  might  be  well  to  arrange  them  in  order  of 
numbers  of  each  species  for  the  whole  park.  Thus  we  will 
be  able  to  see  at  a  glance  which  ones  are  the  most  numerous. 
Such  a  summary  is  given  on  page  65.  For  the  sake  of 
the  more  scientific  reader,  who  may  wish  to  know  more  defi- 
nitely the  species  and  sub-species  found,  this  list  includes 
the  scientific  name  as  listed  in  the  check  list  of  the  American 
Ornithologist  Union. 

As  in  the  reports  for  the  separate  sections  of  the  park, 
the  birds  are  listed  in  the  order  of  numbers,  beginning  with 
the  most  numerous. 


Fig.  12— The  Wild  Beauty  of  Hazel  Dell  Is  the  Delight  of  the  Nature 
Lover,    and   the   Home   of   Retiring   Birds    and    Wild   Flowers 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  65 


SUMMARY  OF  CENSUS  OF  SUMMER  BIRDS  IN 
SWOPE  PARK. 


(Numbers  indicate  the  total  number  of  male  birds.) 

Indigo   Bunting,  Passerina  cyanes    (Linn.) 164 

Tufted   Titmouse,   Baeolophus   Bicolor    (Linn.) 158 

Chickadee,  Penthestes   atricapillus   atricapillus    (Linn.) 153 

Red-eyed  Vireo,   Vireosylva  olivaceae    (Linn.) 86 

Kentucky  Warbler,   Oporonis  formosus    (Wilson) 74 

Blue   Jay,  Cyanocitta   cristata   cristata    (Linn.) 73 

Downy  Woodpecker,  Dryobates  pubescens  medianus   (Swainson)  ....  76 

Crested  Flycatcher,  Myiarchus   crinitus    (Linn.) 71 

Cardinal,  Cardinalis   cardinalis  cardinalis    (Linn.) 70 

Yellow-billed  Cuckoo,  Coccyzus  americanus  americanus    (Linn.) 65 

Brown  Thrasher,  Toxoxtoma  rufum   (Linn.) 58 

Dickcissel,  Spiza  americana    (Gmelin) 58 

Wood  Thrush,  Hylocichla  mustelina    (Gmelin) 55 

Cowbird,  Molothrus  ater  ater   (Boddaert) 51 

Wood  Peewee,  Miochanes  virens    (Linn.) 42 

Crow,    Corvus    brachyrynchos    brachyrhynchos    Brehm 42 

Goldfinch,  Astragalinus  tristis  tristis    (Linn.) 36 

Towhee,  Pipilo  erythrophthalmus  erythropthalmus    (Linn.) 34 

Cerulean  Warbler,  Dendroica  cerulea    (Wilson) 34 

Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher,  Polioptila  coerulea  coerulea   (Linn.) 34 

Meadowlark,  Sturnella  magna  magna   (Linn.) 32 

Northern  Parula  Warbler,  Compsothlypis  americana  usnea  Brewster  32 

Robin,  Planesticus  migratorius  migratorius   (Linn.) 31 

Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  Centurus  carolinus    (Linn.) 30 

Acadian  Flycatcher,  Empidonax  virescens   (Vieillot) 27 

Field  Sparrow,  Spizella  pusilla  pusilla    (Wilson) 25 

Catbird,  Dumatella  carolinensis    (Linn.) 25 

Red-headed   Woodpecker,  Melanerpes   erythrocephalus    (Linn.) 24 

Scarlet  Tanager,  Piranga  erythromelas   (Vieillot) 22 

Worm-eating  Warbler,  Helmintherus  vermivorus    (Gmelin) 21 


66  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

Hairy  Woodpecker,  Dry  abates  villosus  villosus    (Linn.) 20 

Yellow-breasted  Chat,  Icteria  virens  virens   (Linn.) 18 

Carolina  Wren,   Thryothorus  ludovicianus  ludovicianus    (Latham)...   18 

Mourning    Dove,   Zenaidura   macroura    carolinensis    (Linn.) 17 

Redstart,   Setophaga   ruticilla    (Linn.) 17 

Bluebird,  Sialis  stalls  silais   (Linn.) 17 

Blue-Winged  Warbler,  Vermivora  pinus    (Linn.) 17 

Turkey  Vulture,  Carthartes  aura  septentrionalis  Wied 16 

Northern  Flicker,  Colaptes  auratus  luteus  Bangs 15 

Baltimore  Oriole,  Icterus  galbula    (Linn.) 14 

Chipping  Sparrow,  Spizella  passerina  passerina   (Beckstein) 12 

Kingbird,   Tyrranus  tyrranus    (Linn.) 11 

White-eyed  Vireo,  Vireo  griseus  griseus    (Boddaert) 11 

Maryland  Yellowthroat,  Geothlypis  tricas  tricas    (Linn.) 11 

Bronze  Crackle,  Quiscalus  quiscula  aenas  Ridge 9 

Purple  Martin,  Progne  subis  subis    (Linn.) 8 

Summer  Tanager,  Piranga  rubra  rubra  (Linn.) 8 

Oven-bird,   Seiurus  aurocapillus    (Linn.) 7 

Louisiana  Water  Thrush,  Seiurus  motacilla    (Vieillot) 7 

Whip-poor-will,  Antrostomus  vociferus    (Wilson) 6 

Black-and-white  Warbler,  Mniotilta  varia   (Linn.) 5 

Phoebe,  Sayornis  phoebe    (Linn.) 5 

Bob-White,  Colinus  virginianus  virgianianus   (Linn.) 4 

Chimney  Swift,  Chaetura  pelagica    (Linn.) 4 

Green  Heron,  Butorides  virescens  vires cens    (Linn.) 4 

Cooper's   Hawk,  Accipiter  coo  peri    (Bonaparte) 3 

Screech  Owl,  Otis  asio  asio   (Linn.) 3 

Ruby-throated   Hummingbird,  Archilochus   colubris    (Linn.) 3 

Yellow-throated  Vireo,  Lanivireo  flavijrons    (Vieillot) 3 

Migrant  Shrike,  Lanus  Ludovicianus  migrans  W.  Palmer 2 

Sparrow  Hawk,  Falco  sparvireus  sparvireus   (Linn.) 2 

Kingfisher,  Ceryle  alcyon  (Linn. ) 2 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeak,  Zamelodia  ludoviciana   (Linn.) 2 

White-breasted  Nuthatch,  Sitta  carolinensis  carolinensis  Latham 2 

Great  Horned  Owl,  Bubo  virginianus  virginianus  (Gmelin) 1 

Night  Hawk,  Chordeiles  virginianus    (Gmelin) 1 

Horned  Lark,  Otocoris  alpestris  praticola  Henshaw 1 

Orchard  Oriole,  Icterus  spurius    (Linn.) 1 

Prothonotary  Warbler,  Protonaria  citrea    (Boddaert) 1 

Warbling  Vireo,  Vireo  gilva  gilva   (Vieillot) 1 

Bell's  Vireo,   Vireo   belli  belli  Audobon 1 

Mockingbird,  Mimus  polyglottus  polyglottus    (Linn.) 1 

House  Wren,   Troglodytes  aedon  parkmani  Audobon 1 

Total  species,  73;  total  male  birds,  2,025. 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  67 

Since  the  census  was  taken,  I  have  been  able  to  add  five 
more  species  to  the  list  of  nesting  birds  in  the  Park,  namely: 

Broad-winged  Hawk,  Buteo  platypterus    (Vieillot) 1 

Barn  Owl,  Stryx  pratincola   (Bonaparte) , 1 

Goldfinch,  Astragalinus  tristis   tristis    (Linn.) 1 

Grasshopper   Sparrow,   Ammodramus  savannanim  australis   Maynard  1 

Lark  Sparrow,   Chondestes  grammacus  grammacus    (Say) 1 


Total  Species,  73 ;   total   Male  Birds 2,025 


Fig.  17 — Nest  of  Kentucky   Warbler  in  Hazel  Dell,  Built  in  a  Tussock 
of  Sedge   With  Galium  and  Other   Weeds  Entangled 

In  addition  to  these,  a  Blue  Grosbeak,  Guiraca  caerulea 
caerulea  (Linn.)  reared  its  brood  a  short  distance  east  of  the 
Park  during  the  summer  of  1918,  bringing  the  total  species 
that  nest  in  the  Park  and  immediate  vicinity  up  to  78. 


68  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE   PARK 

According  to  this  estimate,  there  will  average  about  one 
and  one-half  male  birds  to  the  acre  in  the  Park.  Or,  sup- 
posing that  each  was  mated,  there  would  then  be  three  adult 
birds  to  the  acre.  But  since  numbers  of  the  birds  no  doubt 
escaped  notice,  we  may  grant  two  pairs  or  four  birds  to  the 
acre  for  the  Park.  Are  conditions  such  that  more  could  be 
furnished  with  food  and  nesting  places?  What  is  the  limit? 
What  determines  the  number?  These  are  questions  that  are 
difficult  to  answer.  I  cannot  answer  them,  but  I  may  venture 
a  few  opinions. 

The  number  of  birds  found  in  a  certain  locality  is  de- 
termined by  a  combination  of  factors,  and  the  dominant  fac- 
tor may  be  different  in  different  regions  and  for  different 
species. 

The  alfalfa  field  and  meadow  of  the  Rifle  Range  in  Sec- 
tion Number  14,  one  of  the  most  densely  bird-populated  re- 
gions in  the  Park,  could  well  furnish  food  and  nesting  places 
for  more  birds  than  were  found  there.  There  seemed  to  be  no 
rivalry  or  conflict  among  the  Dickcissels  themselves,  for  two 
males  would  be  sitting  only  a  few  feet  apart  on  the  wire  fence 
singing  happily  and  seemingly  oblivious  of  each  other's  pres- 
ence. Certainly  there  was  shortage  in  the  supply  of  weed 
seed  or  grasshoppers  for  food.  The  Meadowlarks  and  the 
Field  Sparrows  seemed  to  have  no  dispute  concerning  food  or 
nest.  Why,  then,  will  there  not  be  double  the  number  of  Dick- 
cissels and  other  birds  next  year,  or  at  least  an  increase  until 
the  limit  has  been  reached? 

In  my  opinion,  the  number  of  birds  in  this  region  of  the 
Park  is  kept  in  check  by  the  interference  of  man;  by  their 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  69 

natural  enemies,  the  birds  and  beasts  of  prey;  and  by  the 
weather  conditions. 

The  grass  of  the  meadow  is  cut  at  about  the  time  the  young 
Dickcissels  are  hatching.  The  mower  and  the  horse's  hoofs 
will  crush  many  of  the  nests  and  following  the  mower  comes 
the  rake  to  scratch  up  the  nests.  This  is  not  quite  so  disastrous 
to  the  Meadowlarks,  for  many  of  the  Meadowlarks  have  left 
the  nest  before  the  grass  is  cut. 

The  Meadowlarks  and  also  the  Dickcissels  are  sometimes 
seriously  disturbed  by  seasons  of  wet  weather,  for  both  these 
species  nest  on  the  ground.  This  meadow  is  low  and  almost 
swampy  in  rainy  seasons  and  since  the  heaviest  rains  occur 
about  the  time  the  Meadowlarks  are  hatching,  in  wet  seasons, 
no  doubt  many  are  drowned  or  chilled  to  death. 

Add  to  these  menaces  the  constant  dangers  and  death  rate 
during  migration,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  there  will  ever  be  any 
increase  in  the  number  of  birds  in  this  region  from  year  to 
year.  Should  the  number  increase  for  a  time,  according  to 
the  rules  of  balance  in  nature,  their  enemies  would  increase  in 
proportion  until  the  normal  number  of  birds  was  again 
reached. 

With  some  other  species,  and  in  some  other  part  of  the 
Park  the  problem  might  be  different.  Many  Chickadees  were 
found  in  the  horseshoe  bend  of  the  Blue  River  in  Section  Num- 
ber 10,  yet  more  could  probably  find  insect  food  in  this  moist 
insect-breeding  region  than  are  there.  Yet,  there  is  not  likely 
to  be  any  increase  in  numbers.  In  this  case,  the  check  would 
probably  be  in  the  number  of  suitable  nesting  places,  for  the 
Chickadee  must  depend  upon  natural  cavities  in  the  trees,  such 


70  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

at  knot  holes  and  deserted  woodpecker's  burrows  for  nesting 
sites.  Scarcity  of  food  during  times  of  ice  and  snow  in  winter 
might  be  another  check. 

The  number  and  distribution  of  birds  with  reference  to 
man  is  an  interesting  problem.  Certain  species,  for  reasons 
unknown,  shun  the  presence  of  man  and  seem  to  be  unwilling 
to  modify  their  nesting  habits.  With  the  encroachments  of 
civilization  these  species  are  driven  to  more  and  more  restrict- 
ed areas,  and  are  threatened  with  extinction.  With  others  it 
is  the  reverse,  and  they  are  rarely  found  far  from  human  hab- 
itation. This  is  indicated  repeatedly  in  the  report  of  the  cen- 
sus of  the  several  sections  in  the  Park. 

On  the  whole,  partial  proximity  to  man  seems  to  be 
favorable.  The  bird  population  is  denser  in  a  residence  com- 
munity supplied  with  many  trees  and  shrubs  than  it  is  in  the 
deep  forests.  More  birds  will  be  found  along  traveled  coun- 
try roads  lined  with  trees  and  hedgerows  than  will  be  found 
along  the  same  length  of  forest  path. 

The  ideal  conditions  that  determine  the  numbers  and  dis- 
tribution of  the  greater  number  of  species  of  land  birds  seems 
to  be :  First,  presence  of  hiding  places  in  the  form  of  trees, 
shrubs  and  other  vegetation;  second,  proximity  to  man  with 
the  protection  afforded  by  his  presence;  third,  provision  for 
nesting  sites  for  those  that  nest  only  in  cavities;  such  as  the 
Bluebird,  Chickadee,  Martin  and  Tufted  Titmouse.  A  fourth 
is  the  presence  of  food  and  water,  which  are  usually  sufficient- 
ly available. 

To  increase  our  bird  population,  therefore,  we  should 
plant  trees,  shrubs  and  vines  about  our  homes;  we  should  have 


CENSUS  OF  NESTING  BIRDS  71 

hedgerows  replace  some  of  the  wire  fences  on  the  farm,  and 
trees  should  line  the  highways.  In  extreme  cases,  we  should 
provide  water  and  food.  Then,  in  addition  to  these  measures, 
wherever  possible,  or  wherever  opportunity  offers,  as  is  the 
case  in  Swope  Park,  we  should  leave  some  rather  extensive 
area  undisturbed  for  the  preservation  of  those  species  that  are 
too  modest  or  too  aristocratic  to  care  to  associate  with  man. 
The  English  Sparrow  has  purposely  been  left  out  of  this 
discussion.  It  is  a  well  known  outlaw  bird.  There  are  hun- 
dreds of  them  in  the  Park,  especially  about  the  Shelter  House 
and  about  the  Zoo.  They  interfere  with  but  few  species  of 
other  birds,  arid  this  interference  is  chiefly  in  a  struggle  for 
the  nesting  sites  of  such  birds  as  the  Bluebird,  Purple  Martin 
and  Wren.  This  interference,  however,  is  so  great  that  unless 
we  lend  a  hand  and  help  in  the  struggle,  the  English  Sparrows 
will  all  but  exterminate  these  more  desirable  birds  from  our 
home  premises. 


18— Nest  of  Indigo  Bird  in  Low  Shrub  of  Bladdernut    (Staphyica 
trifolia.)      Note  the  Cowbird's  Eggs  in  the  Nest. 


WINTER  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK  73 


WINTER  BIRDS  OF  THE  PARK 


The  shelter  offered  by  the  thickets  and  woods  of  the  Park 
especially  along  the  rocky  sheltered  ravines,  forms  quite  an 
attraction  for  birds  in  the  winter,  and  every  year  a  few  repre- 
sentatives remain  of  a  number  of  species  that  regularly  go 
farther  south. 

These  stray  winter  residents  include  quite  a  number  of 
species  that  nest  in  the  Park,  such  as  the  Robin,  Bluebird, 
Towhee,  Mockingbird,  Meadowlark,  Red-headed  Woodpecker. 
It  is  impossible  to  tell  whether  those  remaining  for  the  winter 
are  individuals  that  nested  in  the  Park,  or  whether  they  are 
birds  that  nested  farther  north  and  in  their  migration  south- 
ward, got  no  farther  than  this  latitude. 

During  the  Christmas  holidays  of  1915-16,  a  flock  of  sev- 
eral Bluebirds  and  Robins  was  found  in  the  sheltered  recesses 
of  Shiloh  Hollow.  They  twittered  contentedly  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  there  were  several  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground. 

On  January  1st,  1916,  three  Meadowlarks  flew  across  the 
street  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Park.  They  were  seen 
again  a  week  later,  but  the  following  week  was  very  cold  with 
a  coating  of  ice  over  all  outdoors,  and  after  this  period  of  ten 
degrees  below  zero,  no  more  was  seen  of  the  Meadowlarks 
until  time  for  return  migrants.  The  Robins  and  Bluebirds  also 
disappeared  after  this  extreme  cold. 

The  Mockingbird  is  reported  here  for  the  winter  by  Mr. 


74  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

Smithson,  of  Warrensburg,  Mo.,  and  I  have  seen  it  repeatedly 
myself  during  the  winter,  finding  it  on  January  26,  1907,  one 
of  the  very  cold  days  of  the  winter. 

January  2,  1908,  I  saw  and  heard  the  Towhee  in  the  shrub- 
bery of  the  northwest  part  of  the  Park. 

Flickers  are  to  be  found  in  the  sheltered  hollows  of  the 
Park  almost  any  day  of  the  winter  and  Red-headed  Wood- 
packers  are  found  occasionally  during  the  winter.  During 
the  winter  of  1909  the  Redheads  came  regularly  to  a  chestnut 
oak  tree  in  my  yard  and  gathered  acorns,  evidently  eating 
more  than  merely  the  worms  found  in  the  acorns. 

The  Kinglets  are  occasionally  found  with  us  during  the 
winter.  I  have  found  them  in  January  of  1908  and  also  in 
1916.  --^f  jp 

Harris  Sparrows,  Song  Sparrows  and  Lincoln  Finches  are 
occasionally  met  with  in  the  Park  in  the  midst  of  winter.  A 
Harris  Sparrow  came  regularly  to  a  feeding  box  near  my 
window  during  the  winter  of  1916. 

During  the  winter  of  1916-17  and  also  the  preceding 
winter  great  flocks  of  Thick-billed  Redwings  (Agelains  phoe- 
niceus  fortis)  came  down  from  the  Northwest  and  congregated 
by  thousands  along  the  Missouri  River  at  night,  and  during; 
the  day  spread  out  over  the  woods  and  fields  of  the  surround- 
ing country,  many  of  them  feeding  in  the  Park. 

Besides  these  rather  irregular  winter  birds,  the  regular 
winter  residents  are  found.  (See  paragraph  for  species  re- 
corded). Juncos,  Chickadees,  Tree  Sparrows  and  Titmice  are 
the  most  numerous  of  the  species  found  in  the  Park  during 
winter. 


WINTER   BIRDS   OF   SWOPE   PARK  75 

The  following  have  been  reported  for  the  Park  at  some 
time  during  the  winter  months: 


Mallard 

Blue-winged  Teal 

Bob  White 

Mourning  Dove 

Marsh    Hawk 

Cooper's  Hawk 

Red-tailed   Hawk 

Bald  Eagle 

Sparrow   Hawk 

Barn  Owl 

Barred    Owl 

Screech   Owl 

Great    Horned    Owl 

Kingfisher 

Hairy  Woodpecker 

Downy  Woodpecker 

Yellow-bellied    Sapsucker 

Red-headed    Woodpecker 

Flicker 

Red-winged  Blackbird 

Thick-billed  Red-wing 

Northern   Red-wing 

Meadowlark 

Purple  Finsh 


Pine  Siskin 

Crossbill 

Goldfinch 

English  Sparrow 

Harris  Sparrow 

White-crowned   Sparrow 

Tree   Sparrow 

Slate-colored    Junco 

Song   Sparrow 

Fox   Sparrow 

Towhee 

Cardinal 

Cedar  Waxwing 

Mockingbird 

Carolina   Wren 

Winter  Wren 

Brown  Creeper 

White-breasted    Nuthatch 

Tufted  Titmouse 

Chickadee 

Golden-crowned    Kinglet 

Robin 

Bluebird 


O 


THRILLS  OF  MIGRATION  77 


THRILLS   OF  MIGRATION. 


During  the  spring  migration  of  April  and  May,  there 
passes  through  the  Park  a  great  pageant  of  gaily  colored, 
vivacious  singers  and  acrobatic  performers.  The  perform- 
ances are  repeated  day  after  day  among  the  branches  of  the 
trees  and  shrubs. 

The  stage  is  wonderfully  set  for  the  performance.  A  soft 
velvet  carpet  of  green  is  spread  out  over  the  ground;  flowers 
are  scattered  all  about.  There  is  a  bright  border  of  bloomin0 
shrubs  about  the  stage,  really  they  form  a  part  of  the  stage 
itself.  Here  and  there  a  tall  tree  forms  a  part  of  the  setting, 
and  its  branches  reach  up  to  the  blue  canopy  overhead. 

The  performers  come  and  go;  new  ones  are  continually 
arriving.  There  is  nothing  tiresome,  nothing  monotonous.  All 
is  activity  and  charm  and  grace.  There  is  continuous  music. 

Some  morning  in  early  May,  walk  out  among  the  red  haw 
trees  and  wild  crab  thicket  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Park 
and  watch  the  visitors  that  come  to  the  trees.  On  one  such 
memorable  morning  I  found  ten  birds  of  seven  different 
species  all  in  a  single,  spreading  haw  tree  at  one  time.  The 
tree  itself  was  very  beautiful  with  its  blossoms  and  green 
leaves,  but  the  presence  of  the  birds  made  it  all  the  more  in- 


78  BIRDS  OF   SWOPE   PARK 

teresting.  A  later  inspection  showed  that  it  was  badly  infected 
with  plant  lice  as  well  as  with  canker  worms,  and  the  birds 
were  busy  ridding  it  of  these  pests.  Watch  them  as  they  dart 
from  one  leafy  spray  to  another,  or  as  they  stretch  their  necks 
to  pick  a  morsel  from  overhead.  Again,  they  are  seen  tipping 
upside  down  to  reach  a  worm  on  a  leaf  below.  Now  close  your 
eyes  and  listen;  the  twittering  is  incessant.  They  are  singing 
the  freshness  of  the  morning  dew  and  blossoms  and  green 
leaves.  Some  have  truly  wonderful  flute-like  voices  that  may 
in  different  keys,  yet  they  harmonize  both  in  tones  and  with 
be  heard  far  away,  others  are  soft  and  sweet  and  can  be  heard 
only  when  the  bird  is  near  at  hand.  The  effect  is  truly  won- 
derful. 

We  who  live  in  the  suburbs  and  have  a  few  trees  in  our 
yards  do  not  even  need  to  go  to  the  woods  to  see  and  hear  the 
Mayday  performance.  Fortunate,  indeed,  is  one  who  at  this 
season  of  migration  has  a  home  with  windows  and  a  yard  with 
trees  and  shrubs;  but  he  needs  even  more  than  this;  he  needs 
the  keen  appreciation  that  alone  can  give  charm  to  the  pageant. 
This  appreciation  is  enhanced  by  an  understanding  of  the 
significance  of  the  scene.  The  interest  in  the  performance 
grows  by  an  acquaintance  with  the  performers. 

After  some  practice,  one  may  know  which  birds  are  on 
hand  merely  by  hearing  their  voices.  He  may  be  awakened  in 
the  morning  by  a  new  note  and  can  tell  what  new  membp- 
have  arrived  during  the  night.  How  interesting  to  be  on  the 
alert  for  new  arrivals.  What  a  disappointment  if  some  favorite 
happens  to  be  delayed  and  arrives  a  few  days  late.  During 
this  season  the  bird  lover  is  consulting  the  time  table  daily, 


THRILLS  OF  MIGRATION  79 

comparing  dates  with  previous  years,  and  making  records  for 
future  comparison  and  reference.  The  days  are  too  short. 
Life's  cup  is  too  full.  There  is  so  much  to  live  for,  and  so 
much  to  see  and  do.  Yet  some  people  go  through  life  not 
knowing  that  anything  unusual  is  happening.  They  have  no 
learned  to  play  the  game.  How  much  they  miss! 

A  trip  through  the  Park  during  early  May  is  of  more 
than  interest  to  the  bird  lover.  A  most  interesting  diversion  ic 
to  try  to  find  the  greatest  possible  number  of  bird  species  dur- 
ing a  single  day,  or  during  a  single  week  or  month — make  a 
"Day  Record,"  or  a  "Week  Record,"  or  a  "Month  Record." 
After  one  has  gained  a  degree  of  proficiency  in  recognizing  the 
birds  and  knows  their  haunts,  then,  by  starting  at  daybreak 
and  exploring  one  region  after  another  it  is  possible,  in  early 
May,  to  find  seventy-five  or  more  species  in  the  Park  during 
a  single  day.  During  midwinter  one  does  well  to  find  as 
many  as  twenty  species  in  the  Park  during  a  single  day's  walk. 

Certain  birds  seem  to  have  favorite  paths  across  country 
for  their  migration  routes.  Shiloh  Hollow,  Hazel  Dell  and 
Southeast  Hollow  of  Swope  Park  are  especially  favorite  paths 
for  a  great  number  of  land  birds.  This  may  be  due  to  the 
shelter  of  the  forest,  and  to  the  food  found  in  connection  with 
the  vegetation  along  these  valleys.  However,  certain  species 
are  more  numerous  in  certain  hollows;  for  instance,  Shiloh 
Hollow  is  frequented  by  a  large  number  of  Parula  and 
Cerulean  Warblers,  while  Buckeye  Hollow  is  a  more  favorite 
migration  route  for  the  Kentucky  Warbler. 

The  thicket  of  wild  crab  and  red  haw  trees  in  the  north- 
west corner  of  the  Park  furnish  resting  and  feeding  places  for 


80  BIRDS   OF   SWOPE   PARK 

great  numbers  of  Tennessee  Warblers,  Nashville  Warblers, 
Yellow  Warblers  and  others  during  their  migration.  The  num- 
bers are  so  great  that  it  seems  as  though  every  leaf  and  twig 
will  have  been  inspected  and  cleaned  of  its  insects.  During 
their  brief  visit  they  will  destroy  millions  of  devastating  pests. 
What  a  great  blessing  their  semi-annual  visit  brings!  We  are 
twice  blest  with  their  presence,  blest  with  the  work  they  do, 
and  blest  with  their  enchanting  grace  and  activity  and  song. 

During  autumn,  also,  but  to  a  less  noticeable  extent,  the 
Park  becomes  the  feeding  place  and  resting  place  for  in- 
numerable birds.  Their  more  quiet  ways  at  this  season,  and 
their  more  somber  colors  make  them  less  conspicuous,  and 
only  the  bird  student  is  aware  that  anything  unusual  is  taking 
place. 

Swope  Park  is  at  no  time  any  great  resort  for  water  fowl. 
During  migration,  however,  a  number  of  Plovers,  Sandpipers, 
ducks  and  occasionally  others,  may  be  found  along  the  Blue 
River  and  the  Park  lakes.  (See  check  list  for  species  that  hcvc 
been  recorded.) 

It  is  very  evident  that  during  the  erratic  wanderings  of 
migration,  almost  every  species  of  bird  that  passes  along  the 
Missouri  valley  might  at  some  time  be  found  either  resting  in 
the  Park  or  at  least  flying  over.  Persistent,  and  careful  ob- 
servations at  these  seasons  will  surely  add  to  the  list  of  birds 
of  Swope  Park. 


Fig.    20 — Blue  jay    "Greedy" 


Fig.  21 — Chickadee  on  the   Window  Ledge 
Birds  as  Seen  From  the   Window 


Fig.  22— Red-Bellied    Woodpecker,   "Filling   Up" 


Fig.    23 — Downy    Woodpecker    at    the   Suet 


Birds  as  Seen  From  the   Window 


&> 


BIRDS   ABOUT   OUR   HOMES  83 


BIRDS  ABOUT  OUR  HOMES. 


A  surprisingly  great  number  of  these  birds  of  the  Park 
may  be  found  about  our  homes  and  may  even  be  seen  from 
our  windows.  From  my  window  one  morning  in  early  May  I 
counted  twenty-seven  species  of  birds  within  an  hour.  During 
the  whole  season  I  have  seen  as  many  as  eighty  species  from 
my  home,  and  twenty-one  species  have  nested  in  rny  yard 
within  the  past  five  years,  though  not  all  in  one  season.  The 
yard  is  a  city  lot  100  by  270  feet.  I  do  not  consider  this  num- 
ber of  birds  about  the  home  to  be  especially  remarkable,  but 
mention  it  merely  as  an  indication  of  what  might  be  expected 
under  moderately  favorable  conditions. 

The  birds  whose  ecological  habits  impel  them  to  seek 
the  shelter  of  shrubs  and  shade  trees  of  our  yards,  have  already 
been  mentioned  in  the  preceeding  pages.  They  are  the  birds 
that  are  found  about  the  Shelter  House  and  the  Park  Zoo,  and 
in  other  frequented  portions  of  the  Park.  It  might  be  well, 
however,  to  enumerate  them  again  with  some  comment  on  their 
nesting  habits,  and  on  the  means  for  attracting  them  to  our 
homes. 

Birds  are  free  to  come  and  go.  They  move  about  at  will, 
and  they  will  go  where  conditions  are  favorable  and  where 


84  BIRDS   OF   SWOPE   PARK 

the  surroundings  are  in  accordance  with  their  instincts.  It  we 
want  them  about  our  homes  we  must  meet,  in  a  measure  at 
least,  their  requirements  of  food  and  water,  nesting  sites  and 
protection  from  enemies. 

We  are  especially  anxious  to  have  the  birds  with  us  during 
the  summer  as  nesting  birds  for  it  is  then  that  they  are  of  most 
economic  value  and  of  most  aesthetic  interest.  If  we  provide 
suitable  environment  in  the  way  ^of  hiding  places,  and  food 
and  water,  we  may  have  a  surprisingly  great  number  with  us 
throughout  the  summer.  Hiding  places  for  their  nests  is  of 
first  importance. 

For  the  Catbird,  Brown  Thrasher,  Chipping  Sparrow  and 
Mourning  Dove  we  must  have  a  tangle  of  low  bushy  shrubs  and 
trees  if  we  would  tempt  these  most  valuable  birds  to  be  with 
us  throughout  the  summer.  The  Cardinal,  the  Summer  Tana- 
ger,  Bell's  Vireo,  Mockingbird  and  Wood  Thrush  also  nest  in 
shrubs  and  low  trees,  and  occasionally  come  to  our  yards  to 
rear  their  broods. 

Other  birds  prefer  larger  trees.'  The  Robin  prefers  eithe  * 
the  larger  forked  branches  of  trees,  or  else  a  cornice  of  the 
house  or  any  broad  surface  for  a  platform  upon  which  to  place 
his  mud-lined  nest.  The  Crackle  and  the  Blue  Jay  sometimes 
come  to  our  lawns  and  select  the  higher  branches  of  tall  trees 
for  their  nesting  places.  The  Baltimore  Oriole  suspends  its  nest 
far  out  on  the  drooping  branches.  The  Orchard  Oriole  a^1 
the  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak  and  Warbling  Vireo  also  prefer 
trees  for  their  nesting  sites.  I  have  had  the  Robin,  Bluebird, 
Bronze  Crackle,  Baltimore  Oriole  all  nesting  in  a  single  big 
elm  tree  in  my  yard  during  the  same  season. 


BIRDS   ABOUT  OUR   HOMES  85 

The  Bluebird,  House  Wren  and  Purple  Martin  must  have 
nesting  boxes  supplied  for  them.  The  Red-headed  Wood- 
pecker, Flicker,  Chickadee,  Downy  Woodpecker  and  Crested 
Flycatcher  will  be  pleased  to  take  up  their  abode  near  our 
homes  providing  they  can  find  a  dead  stub,  or  a  telephone 
pole  in  which  to  chisel  out  their  home;  or,  in  the  case  of  thr 
Chickadee  and  the  Crested  Flycatcher,  find  a  cavity  already 
chiseled  out.  Again,  we  may  be  of  some  help  by  providing 
cavities  for  these  birds,  but  the  cavity  must  be  carefully  pat- 
terned after  the  bird's  owrn  design. 

The  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo,  Screech  Owl,  Sparrow  Hawk, 
Tufted  Titmouse,  Indigo  Bunting  and  Phoebe  occasionally 
nest  near  our  homes.  In  fact  there  are  occasional  instances  of 
quite  a  number  of  other  birds  that  may  nest  in  our  very  door 
yards,  but  they  are  unusual,  and  their  presence  is  due  to 
especially  favorable  conditions.  In  this,  and  other  comments, 
I  am  referring  to  the  Kansas  City  region. 

During  winter  the  Chickadees,  Titmice,  Woodpeckers, 
Nuthatches,  Cardinals  and  Blue  Jays  come  in  from  the  woods. 
They  are  hunting  for  food,  and  instinctively  know  that  they 
may  find  stray  crumbs  and  other  delicacies  about  our  houses. 
If  they  are  not  disappointed,  and  if  they  find  a  bunch  of  suet 
and  a  fewr  cracked  nuts,  they  will  soon  return  and  become 
regular  pensioners.  Still,  they  pay  for  their  hand-out,  for 
they  vary  their  diet  of  suet  and  crumbs  with  insect  eggs  and 
larvae  that  they  find  in  the  trees  and  shrubs  about  the  place. 

With  these  resident  birds  will  come  a  number  of  winter 
visitors  from  the  north  to  share  in  the  feast.  Juncos  and 
Tree  Sparrows  are  the  most  numerous,  but  occasionally 


86  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

Harris's   Sparrows  and  White   Crowned   Sparrows   and   Song 

Sparrows  and  Brown  Creepers  will  be  seen. 

If  we  succeed  in  attracting  the  birds  to  our  homes  by 
feeding  them  in  the  winter,  we  have  made  a  good  beginning, 
and  if  nesting  places  are  available,  some  will  stay  with  us 
throughout  the  summer. 

In  addition  to  the  nesting  sites,  we  should  add  nesting 
material.  Do  not  forget  to  have  various  kinds  of  strings  and 
fiber  left  in  bunches  here  and  there  about  the  yard.  I  attribute 
a  Warbling  Vireo's  nest  in  my  yard  to  be  due  largely  to  a 
bunch  of  tow  left  hanging  in  a  clump  of  bushes.  A  handful 


Fig.  24 — A   Good   Way  to  Attract  Birds  to  the  Home   in  the  Summer 
Is  to  Provide  a  Bird  Bath 


BIRDS   ABOUT  OUR  HOMES  87 

of  bright  colored  yarn  hung  up  in  the  bushes  was  seized  upon 
by  the  Baltimore  Oriole  five  minutes  after  it  was  put  out  for 
their  use. 

The  presence  of  birds  about  the  home  depends,  in  part 
at  least,  on  the  presence  of  trees  and  shrubs.  The  presence 
of  trees  and  shrubs  depends  to  a  considerable  extent  on  the 
size  of  the  yard  and  the  density  of  population.  Therefore 
there  are  fewer  birds  in  the  thickly  settled  residence  sections 
of  a  city  than  there  are  in  the  thinly  settled  districts;  more- 
over, there  are  usually  more  about  the  country,  or  village 
home  than  about  the  city  home. 

The  protection  afforded  by  man  will  attract  a  greater 
bird  population  about  our  homes  than  is  found  along  the 
roadside,  or  even  in  the  woods  thicket.  A  census  of  summer 
birds  taken  in  Lawrence,  Kansas,  during  the  summer  of  1916. 
showed  a  greater  number  of  species  and  of  individuals  in  the 
thinly  settled  residence  section  of  the  town  than  were  found 
along  a  country  road  lined  with  trees  and  bushes. 

The  census  was  taken  by  walking  along  the  street  and 
noting  the  birds  to  be  seen  and  heard,  keeping  careful  check 
on  both  species  and  on  numbers.  Approximately  the  same 
distance  was  traveled  in  each  case.  This  tends  to  prove  that 
if  other  conditions  are  favorable,  birds  prefer  the  companion- 
ship and  protection  offered  by  man. 


88  BIRDS   OF   SWOPE  PARK 


CONSERVATION   OF   BIRDS. 


Birds  are  beset  by  enemies  on  every  hand.  Around  our 
homes  they  are  disturbed  by  man,  who  picks  the  roses  and 
lilacs,  or  prunes  the  vines  and  bushes  that  hide  the  nests  of 
his  feathered  friends;  frightening  the  old  birds,  and  often, 
unwittingly,  shaking  the  eggs  or  the  young  out  of  the  nest. 
Roaming  cats  sneak  up  onto  the  nests  in  the  early  twilight, 
or  in  the  daytime  stalk  the  old  birds.  The  young  birds  that 
have  just  left  the  nest  are  the  easiest  victims,  and  but  few 
escape. 

Out  in  the  woods,  the  hawrks  and  owls  and  squirrels  and 
crows  are  more  numerous.  They  are  always  hungry  and  al- 
ways hunting.  It  is  a  case  of  wit  against  wit,  or,  perhaps  we 
should  say,  instinct  against  instinct;  instinct  of  self  preserva- 
tion and  care  of  young,  pitted  against  instinct  of  food  secur- 
ing: maternal  love  against  pangs  of  hunger.  It  is  a  ceaseless 
round  of  kill  or  be  killed;  eat  or  die  of  starvation. 

On  the  whole,  it  is  all  for  the  best.  The  ceaseless  strug- 
gle for  existence  becomes  a  weeding  out  process  in  which  the 
weaker  go  first,  leaving  the  stronger;  the  ones  with  most 
highly  developed  instinct;  the  ones  most  concealingly  colored; 


CONSERVATION    OF    BIRDS  89 

the  ones  with  greatest  endurance  to  survive  and  become  the 
ancestors  of  the  next  generation. 

All  would  go  well  enough  were  it  not  for  man's  interfer- 
ence. But  man  in  his  might,  with  his  weapons  and  his  tools, 
and  his  progress  in  "Civilization"  interfere  half  wittingly, 
half  unwittingly;  half  carelessly  and  half  unavoidably,  and 
disturbs  the  balance  of  nature.  As  a  result,  some  inferior 
species  of  animals,  like  cats  and  squirrels  and  English  Spar- 
rows, Crackles,  Cowbirds  and  Jays  are  permitted  to  increase 
in  undue  proportion,  while  the  hiding  places,  and  the  last 
retreats  of  the  more  valuable  ground  nesting  birds,  as  well  as 
tree  dwellers,  are  destroyed,  leaving  them  without  nesting 
places  for  reproduction,  and  without  hiding  places  from  their 
enemies. 

Man  in  his  economy,  pastures  the  woods,  and  the  nests  of 
the  Ovenbird,  Kentucky  Warbler,  Water  Thrush,  Indigo 
Bunting,  Bell's  Vireo,  White-eyed  Vireo,  Blue-wing  Warbler, 
Towhee  and  Yellow  Throat  are  destroyed;  as  a  result,  there 
are  more  canker  worms  and  bark  beetles  and  aphides  than  for- 
merly. He  cuts  the  meadow  and  destroys  the  nests  of  the 
Field  Sparrow7,  the  Dickcissel,  the  Meadowlark  and  the  Grass- 
hopper Sparrow,  and  then  remarks  that  the  "Grasshoppers  and 
cutworms  are  very  bad  this  year." 

For  a  time  the  old  rail  fence  corners,  with  their  black- 
berry vines  and  tall  grasses  gave  shelter  to  many  birds  that 
went  foraging  for  insects  in  the  nearby  fields.  With  a  scarcity 
of  timber,  the  rail  fence  was  replaced  by  long  rows  of  Osage 
Orange  hedge  fences.  These  were  sometimes  neglected,  and 
then  became  the  very  finest  of  homes  for  the  Cardinals, 


90  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE  PARK 

Cuckoos,  Vireos,  Thrashers  and  Catbirds,  but  even  here  the 
birds  were  not  without  their  enemies,  for  the  Shrikes  made 
good  use  of  the  hedge  thorns  for  holding  young  birds,  as  well 
as  mice,  while  they  picked  the  delicate  morsels  to  bits.  The 
graceful,  gliding  Blue-racer  Blacksnake  hid  in  the  tall  weeds 
and  when  field  mice  grew  scarce,  would  climb  up  among  the 
branches  of  the  shrubs,  find  the  eggs  and  young  birds  in  the 
nest,  and  swallow  them  whole,  quite  unconcerned  over  the 
frantic  cries  and  paralyzed  fear  of  the  parents. 

But  the  hedge  rows  took  up  too  much  of  the  valuable 
prairie  cornfield,  so  the  hedge  was  pulled  up  by  the  roots; 
the  weeds  and  bushes  were  plowed  up,  and  a  neat,  straight, 
wire  fence  has  taken  the  place  of  the  bird-arbor  hedge.  No 
place  here  for  the  birds  to  hide! 

The  results  are  not  quite  so  tragic,  however,  as  the  fore- 
going would  seem  to  imply.  More  and  more,  through  the  in- 
fluence of  literature  and  lectures  and  schools  and  societies, 
the  economic  value  of  birds  is  being  presented  to  the  public. 
Slowly,  but  surely,  the  lessons  are  being  learned,  and  just  as 
surely  as  they  are  comprehended,  will  there  be  results  in  the 
way  of  efforts  to  attract  birds  about  the  home,  and  in  the  pro- 
tection of  others  that  prefer  to  stay  in  the  fields  and  woods. 

This  campaign  for  bird  conservation  is  but  begun,  which 
means  that  much  remains  to  be  done.  Tha  lessons  have  not 
yet  been  sufficiently  impressed,  and  we  still  find  yards  with- 
out shrubs  or  vines.  Cats  are  still  turned  out  to  hunt  their 
food  as  best  they  can.  There  is  an  almost  universal  absence 
of  drinking  fountains  and  bathing  pools  for  the  birds,  and 


CONSERVATION    OF    BIRDS  91 

little  effort  is  made  to.  provide  nesting  boxes  for  those  most 
valuable  birds  that  build  only  in  cavities. 

We  need  more  trees  and  shrubs  about  the  home,  more 
hedgerows  on  the  farm,  and  more  bird  sanctuaries  in  all  parts 
of  the  country. 

The  English  Sparrow  has  usurped  the  premises  about  our 
homes,  and  in  many  respects  it  is  a  useful  bird.  We  are  loathe 
to  acknowledge  its  value,  but  just  watch  it  during  canker-worm 
time.  In  spite  of  its  usefulness,  it  deserves  our  ill  will,  and 
merits  our  attempts  at  extermination.  Its  bad  habits  out- 
weigh its  usefulness,  for  it  tends  to  destroy  that  nicely  ad- 
justed balance  of  nature. 

Although  it  eats  a  few  insects  when  insects  abound,  yet 
its  chief  food  is  either  of  negligible  economic  importance  to 
us,  being  pickings  from  the  street  litter  and  from  the  garbage 
can,  or  else  its  feeding  habits  may  be  seriously  destructive  as 
when  it  visits  the  garden,  not  for  worms,  but  for  the  tender 
leaves  of  peas  and  lettuce  just  coming  out  of  the  ground. 

It  destroys  the  balance  of  life  by  usurping  the  nesting 
places  of  more  valuable  birds,  such  as  the  Purple  Martin,  Eve- 
Swallow,  House  Wren,  Bluebird,  Chickadee  and  the  Wood- 
peckers. The  Purple  Martin  and  the  Eve-Swallow  have  be- 
come almost  extinct  in  many  regions  because  of  the  vicious 
rivalry  of  the  English  Sparrow.  It  destroys  the  balance  of  life 
by  driving  away  insectivorus  birds,  and  thus  permitting  the 
insects  to  multiply  beyond  their  proper  bounds. 

Yet,  we  are  really  to  blame.  We  introduced  the  English 
Sparrow  into  the  country,  and  now  that  it  has  proved  itself  to 
be  a  pest,  we  still  permit  it  to  nest  about  our  premises. 


92  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE   PARK 

It  is  a  comparatively  small  matter  for  the  home  owner  to 
prevent  any  English  Sparrow  from  raising  a  brood  on  his  own 
premises.  If  all  should  do  this  for  a  few  years,  the  problem 
would  be  solved.  The  few  interested  families,  however,  can- 
not destroy  all  the  sparrow  nests  for  the  whole  neighborhood, 
and  it  thus  becomes  almost  useless  to  bother  with  the  few  nests 
on  his  own  premises.  It  should  be  a  finable  offense  to  permit 
English  Sparrows  to  nest  on  the  premises. 

Another  way  to  solve  the  English  Sparrow  problem  is  to 
poison  them  during  the  winter  with  Strychnia  sulphate.  Farm- 
er's Bulletin,  Number  493,  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture, 
gives  good  directions  for  doing  this. 

Next  to  the  English  Sparrow,  the  Robin  is  the  most  numer- 
ous bird  about  our  homes.  The  nesting  of  the  Robin  is  not 
disturbed  by  the  English  Sparrow,  and  they  have  thus  had  op- 
portunity to  multiply  undisturbed  save  by  the  cats. 

The  Robin  is  valuable,  but  of  hardly  the  economic  value 
of  the  Purple  Martin  or  of  the  Bluebird.  The  latter  feed  upon 
a  greater  variety  of  noxious  insects  and  are  not  destructive  to 
fruit.  The  Robin  is  destructive  to  fruit  and  feeds  largely  on 
angle  worms  from  the  ground.  The  destruction  of  the  angle 
worms  is  of  questionable  value. 

If  we  would  only  provide  suitable  nesting  boxes  and  then 
eliminate  the  English  Sparrow,  there  is  no  reason  why  Blue- 
birds and  Purple  Martins  should  not  be  as  numerous  as  are 
English  Sparrows  and  Robins. 


Fig.  25— The  Lake  of  the   Woods 


THE  MORNING  AWAKENING  95 


THE  MORNING  AWAKENING. 


During  the  month  of  June,  1919,  I  kept  a  number  of 
records  of  the  time  of  awakening  of  the  birds  in  the  morning 
about  my  home.  The  records  were  made  by  listening  to  the 
first  call  notes  and  songs  of  the  respective  birds. 

The  time  of  beginning  varied  slightly  according  to  the 
temperature,  and  the  cloudiness  of  the  sky.  They  were  about 
ten  minutes  later  in  awakening  on  a  cold  cloudy  morning  than 
on  a  clear,  warm  morning.  There  was  also  a  slight  variation 
in  the  order  of  their  singing,  but  this  also  was  quite  uniform 
if  an  average  of  several  mornings  were  taken. 

The  following  record  for  June  13,  a  clear,  warm  morn- 
ing, is  a  good  indication  of  the  time  and  the  order  in  which 
they  first  indicated  their  morning  activities. 

The  Mockingbird  and  the  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo  were 
heard  at  various  hours  of  the  night.  The  Mockingbird  was 
singing  at  3  :00  A.  M.,  Standard  time,  which  at  Kansas  City 
is  18  minutes  faster  than  sun  time. 

At  3  :35  the  first  Robin  was  heard.  It  was  two  blocks 
away.  Another,  nearer  bird,  soon  took  up  the  refrain  and  in 
three  minutes  a  half  dozen  could  be  heard  in  various  direc- 
tions. 

The  Kingbird  began  twittering  as  he  flew  high  in  the  air 
after  insects  at  3  :42. 


94  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

The  Catbird  began  scolding  before  he  began  singing. 
The  first  scolding  note  was  heard  at  3  :55.  The  song  began  a 
few  minutes  later.  The  Catbird  was  followed  at  4:00  by  the 
Wood  Thrush. 

At  4:01  the  Brown  Thrasher  uttered  a  few  faint  notes, 
but  it  was  off  season  for  the  Thrasher.  During  April  he  is  an 
early  riser  and  may  even  be  heard  singing  at  any  hour  of  the 
night. 

The  Mourning  Dove  was  next,  at  4 :05.  In  one  of  the 
records,  the  dove  was  the  second  bird  to  be  heard.  It  always 
came  early  in  the  list. 

The  Baltimore  Oriole  sang  at  4:07  and  the  House  Wren 
began  at  4:15.  There  was  no  stopping  the  House  Wren,  once 
he  had  begun.  He  sang  so  loudly  and  so  persistently  and  so 
near  at  hand  that  I  had  some  difficulty  in  hearing  the  other 
birds. 

The  Flicker  uttered  a  few  notes  at  4:22,  but  the  Flicker 
and  also  the  Red-headed  Woodpecker  were  rather  quiet  at 
this  season  of  the  year,  for  both  were  quite  busy  with  their 
young.  In  fact  I  saw  the  Red-head  fly  past  before  I  heard 
him  utter  a  single  call  note. 

At  4  :23  the  Crested  Flycatcher  began  his  harsh  shrieking. 
The  Towhee  followed  at  4:26;  the  Chickadee  at  4:28,  and  the 
Redheaded  Woodpecker  gave  his  first  sound  at  4:30.  A  sin- 
gle Crow  began  cawing  at  4 :30. 

A  Warbling  Vireo  that  has  a  nest  in  one  of  my  elm  trees 
began  its  very  beautiful  song  at  4:30^.  The  Vireo's  song 
seemed  to  waken  the  other  birds  that  nest  in  the  same  tree, 


96  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE  PARK 

and  at  4:38  the  Orchard  Oriole  sang,  followed  at  4  :39!/2  by 

the  Bronze  Crackle. 

At  4 :40  the  first  Meadowlark  was  heard  over  in  the  Park. 
Had  I  been  closer  to  the  Meadowlarks  I  might  have  heard 
them  earlier. 

By  this  time  the  Robins  and  Catbirds  and  Orioles  had 
quieted  down  and  there  was  a  decided  lull  in  the  great  morn- 
ing chorus.  Later  in  the  morning  the  various  choristers 
started  their  songs  again,  but  never  with  the  persistence  nor 
volume  that  characterized  the  first  awakening  chorus. 

The  first  English  Sparrow  was  heard  at  4:44;  the  Chirp- 
ing Sparrow  at  4:44;  the  Blue  Jay  at  4:44^.  Chimney 
Swifts  were  first  heard  at  4  :55 

The  last  bird  to  begin  singing  about  the  home  this  morn- 
ing was  the  Bell's  Vireo,  which  did  not  begin  until  5  :05,  an 
hour  and  a  half  after  the  first  Robin  was  heard. 

The  morning  chorus  of  birds  about  our  homes  is  superior 
to  that  in  the  deeper  woods.  There  may  be  a  greater  variety 
of  notes  and  calls  and  of  birds  in  the  woods,  but  the  relative 
number  of  musical  bird  voices  is  greater  about  the  home  than 
it  is  in  the  secluded  portions  of  the  forest. 

The  night  of  June  22d,  1919,  was  spent  on  the  Rifle 
Range  of  the  Park.  I  wanted  to  hear  the  sequence  of  morning 
bird  calls  out  in  the  woods  and  compare  with  those  about 
home. 

Mr.  Walter  Cunningham,  a  good  bird  student,  kept  me 
company  during  the  night,  and  rendered  valuable  assistance 
in  the  morning  in  helping  to  check  up  on  certain  birds  in  the 
open  meadow,  while  I  gave  my  attention  to  the  bordering 
dense  woods. 


THE  MORNING  AWAKENING 


97 


There  was  no  difficulty  in  keeping  awake.  The  mosquitoes 
and  the  chiggers  were  in  hand  in  such  force  that  I  came  very 
nearly  giving  up,  and  was  just  ready  to  return  home  when  we 
found  relief  by  going  into  an  old  abandoned  amunition  house. 
The  windows  and  doors  were  all  smashed  in,  but  the  walls  and 
roof  and  concrete  floor  were  there. 

We  built  a  fire  on  the  concrete  floor  and  smothered  it 
with  green  grass.  The  smoke  rolled  up  and  chased  the 
mosquitoes  away,  and  we  stretched  out  on  the  floor  below  the 
smoke  and  in  comparative  comfort. 

Whippoorwills  sang  intermittently  all  night  long,  but 
they  were  especially  demonstrative  in  the  early  morning  from 
3  :00  to  4 :00. 

The  morning  chorus  was  opened  at  3  :34  (Standard  time) 
by  a  scolding  Blue  Jay,  which  made  a  rather  discordant  be- 
ginning. The  Yellow-breasted  Chat  was  second  at  3  :25.  His 
sudden,  broken  outbursts  could  scarcely  be  called  musical,  nor 
could  the  caw  of  the  Crow  at  3  :26. 

The  following  other  birds  were  heard  from  our  station : 


Purple  Martin 3:23 

Indigo    Bunting    3 :25 

Tufted   Titmouse    3 :48 

Wood  Peewee   4:03 

Crested  Flycatcher  4:12 

Phoebe 4:17 

Wood  Thrush 4:18 

Cardinal 4:19 

Scarlet  Tanager   4:20 

Kentucky  Warbler   4:20 

Downy   Woodpecker    4:30 

(Drumming,  but  no  chirp) 
Chickadee 4:35 


Redstart 4:35V2 

House  Wren    4:43 

Red-eyed   Vireo    4:43V2 

Louisiana  Water  Thrush. .  .4:43% 

Bluebird 4:48 

Yellow-throated  Vireo   4:54 

Carolina  Wren    4:58 

Cowbird 5:03 

White-breasted   Nuthatch. .  .5:04 

Maryland  Yellowthroat 5:06 

Hariy  Woodpecker 5 :14 

(Was    seen    at    4:46,    but    was 
quiet   and   inactive  at  that  time.) 


98  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE   PARK 

The  last  Whippoorwill  note  was  heard  at  4:20,  and  a 
Great-horned  Owl  uttered  a  note  at  4:31. 

The  sun  rose  at  5  :53,  sun  time,  which  for  Kansas  City,  is 
18  minutes  slower  than  Standard  time. 

Both  of  the  above  records  were  made  after  the  mating 
season,  when  the  birds  are  less  inclined  to  sing.  Practically 
all  of  them  would  now  have  young  in  the  nest,  at  which  time 
the  birds  are  most  likely  to  sing  only  at  the  time  of  their  first 
morning  activities.  Most  of  them  soon  quiet  down,  however, 
and  for  the  rest  of  the  day  they  sing  only  occasionally. 

Just  previous  to  mating,  the  birds  may  be  heard  singing 
at  all  hours,  though  even  then  they  are  more  musical  in  morn- 
ing and  early  forenoon.  During  this  early  part  of  the  season, 
there  would  not  be  the  striking  contrast  in  bird  songs  between 
the  regions  about  home  and  the  unfrequented  woodland,  that 
there  is  later  in  the  season,  for  in  the  migrating  season,  the 
birds  that  nest  about  our  homes  are  common  also  in  the  woods 
and  many  of  those  that  nest  in  the  woods  might  also  be  found 
about  our  homes. 


BIRDS  DEFINITELY  REPORTED  FOR  SWOPE  PARK. 

In  the  list  that  follows  I  shall  include  only  those  birds  for 
which  positive  data  is  obtainable.  In  most  cases  the  birds  included 
in  the  list  have  been  personally  observed  in  the  Park.  In  cases  in 
which  the  bird  has  not  been  observed  by  myself,  but  is  reported  by 
other  observers,  credit  is  given  the  one  furnishing  the  information. 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE   PARK  99 

Note: 

"r,"  resident  bird  during  the  entire  year. 
"sr"  resident  during  the  summer  only,  or  rarely  otherwise. 
"wr"  resident  during  the  winter  only,  or  rarely  otherwise. 
"tr,"  transient,  found  only  during  migratoin. 
Pied-billed  Grebe,  Podilymbus  podiceps  (Linn)  tr.     This 

is  an  unusual  bird  to  be  found  in  the  Park.  Mr.  Harry  Harris 
reports  having  seen  one  on  the  Lake  of  the  Woods. 

Franklin's  Gull,  Larus  franklini  Richardson  tr.  Al- 
though more  common  along  the  Missouri  River  bottom, 
Franklin's  Gull  sometimes  wander  over  to  the  Lagoon  and 
Lake  of  the  Woods.  Mr.  Walter  Cunningham  furnishes  me 
with  a  record  for  the  Lagoon,  Sept.  1916. 

Common  Tern,  Sterna  hirundo  Linn  tr.  A  flock  of 
fifteen  Common  Terns  was  reported  by  Harry  Harris  who  saw 
them  in  the  Park  during  migration. 

Black  Tern,  Hydrochelidon  nigra  surinamensis  (Game- 
lin)  tr.  and  occasionally  sr.  Three  of  these  birds  were  report- 
ed on  the  Lagoon  June,  1917,  by  Walter  Cunningham. 

Mallard,  Anas  platyrhynchos  Linn  tr.  It  is  not  uncom- 
mon to  find  a  number  of  these  ducks  resting  on  the  Lagoon 
and  on  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  during  the  migration  season. 

Baldpate,  Mareca  americana  (Gmelin)  tr.  The  Baldpate 
is  rather  uncommon  at  any  season,  but  several  were  seen  on 
the  Lagoon  Feb.  22,  1917. 

Green-winged  Teal,  Nettion  carolinense  (Gmelin)  tr. 
Although  a  common  migrant,  the  Green-winged  Teal  is  not 
common  in  the  Park.  The  record  was  furnished  by  Mr. 
Harris. 

Blue- winged  Teal,  Querquedula  discors  (Linn)  tr.  It  is 
not  unusual  to  find  these  duck  in  the  Park  during  migration. 


100  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE   PARK 

Shoveller,  Spatula  clypeata  (Linn)  tr.  These  birds  are 
occasionally  seen  on  the  Lagoon  in  the  migration  season  at 
times  when  the  weather  is  unfavorable  for  the  visiting  crowds 
of  people. 

Pintail,  Dafila  actua  tzilzihoa  Vieillot  tr.  This  is  one  of 
the  more  common  visiting  ducks  of  the  Park.  It  is  not  un- 
common to  find  them  feeding  in  the  Lagoon  in  early  morn- 
ing before  they  are  disturbed. 

Lesser  Scaup  Duck,  Marila  af finis  (Eyton)  tr.  Uncom- 
mon for  the  Park.  One  was  seen  in  the  Park  April  25,  1914, 
by  Ralph  Hoffman. 

Bittern,  Botaurus  lentiginosus  (Montagu)  tr.  The  only 
available  record  for  the  Park  is  dated  April  19,  1916,  when 
one  was  seen  in  the  marshy  tract  bordering  the  Park  north  of 
the  Lagoon. 

Great  Blue  Heron,  Ardea  herodias  herodias  Linn  tr. 
This  Heron  does  not  breed  in  the  Park  and  is  an  unusual 
visitor.  One  was  seen  fishing  in  the  Blue  River  in  1910. 

Green  Heron,  Butorides  virescens  virescens  (Linn)  sr. 
The  Green  Heron  very  probably  nests  in  the  Park  as  it  is  found 
quite  regularly  along  the  Blue  River  during  the  summer 
months. 

Coot,  Fulca  americana  Gmelin  tr.,  occasional  sr.,  but 
not  in  the  Park.  Though  abundant  elsewhere  during  migra- 
tion, Coots  are  not  often  seen  in  the  Park. 

Woodcock,  Philohela  minor  (Gmelin)  tr.  Woodcock  are 
now  very  rare  in  this  region.  One  was  seen  in  Shiloh  Hollow 
by  Walter  Cunningham  who  found  it  probing  for  food  in  the 
soft  earth  by  the  stream. 


LIST  OF  BIRDS  IN   THE°  PARK  101 

Wilson's  Snipe,  Gallinago  delicata  (Ord)  Ir.  There  are 
only  a  few  records  of  this  bird  for  the  Park.  It  is  now  un- 
common. 

Yellow-legs,  Totanus  flavipes  (Gmelin)  tr.  Yellow-legs 
may  occasionally  be  found  wading  along  the  edge  of  the 
Lagoon  during  migration.  Mr.  Harris  furnishes  me  with 
definite  records  for  the  Park. 

Solitary  Sandpiper,  Helodromas  solitaries  solitarius 
(Wilson)  tr.  This  wader  is  much  less  common  than  the  next; 
one  was  seen  on  the  Lagoon  May  7,  1916. 

Upland  Plover,  Bartramia  longicanda  Bechstein  tr.  Mr. 
Harris  flushed  an  Upland  Plover  from  the  open  place  near 
the  Shelter  Pavillion  April,  1920,  and  also  saw  five  speci- 
men on  the  Rifle  Range  April,  1920. 

Spotted  Sandpiper,  Actitis  macularius  Linn  tr.  These 
birds  are  quite  frequently  found  along  the  water  ways  in  the 
Park  during  the  spring  and  autumn.  They  add  an  interesting 
touch  of  wildness  to  the  woody  banks  of  the  Blue  River. 

Killdeer,  Oxyechus  vociferus  (Linn)  tr.  and  sr.  The 
Killdeer  does  not  nest  in  the  Park,  but  it  is  not  uncommon  to 
hear  its  clear,  ringing  notes  as  it  flies  over  the  Park  during 
migration. 

Bob- white,  Colinus  virginianus  virginianus  (Linn)  r. 
Even  the  restrictions  of  the  Park  do  not  enable  the  Bob-white 
to  multiply.  The  gunners  will  slip  in  regardless  of  guards, 
and  the  inspiring  call  of  "Bob-white,"  is  very  rarely  heard.  A 
pair  raised  their  brood  in  a  vacant  lot  bordering  the  Park  in 
1916,  but  the  gunners  and  their  dogs  located  the  covey,  and 
none  survived  to  add  to  the  joys  of  life  for  the  next  season. 


102  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE  PARK 

Mourning  Dove,  Zenaidura  macroura  calolinensis  (Linn) 
ST.  Mourning  Doves  are  quite  common  in  the  Park,  especially 
among  the  scattered  red  haw  trees  along  the  driveways. 

Turkey  Vulture,  Cathartes  aura  septentrionalis  Wied 
sr.  These  big  birds  may  be  seen  any  day  during  summer, 
soaring  about  over  the  south  part  of  the  Park.  Quite  a  num- 
ber nest  in  the  crevices  of  the  rock  ledges. 

Marsh  Hawk,  Circus  Hudsonicus  (Linn)  tr.  and  wr. 
Marsh  Hawks  probably  do  not  nest  in  the  Park,  but  occasion- 
ally use  it  as  a  hunting  ground.  Some  time  ago  I  watched  two 
of  these  fine  hawks  give  a  beautiful  demonstration  of  their 
hunting  tactics  in  the  region  of  the  Lagoon.  They  were  evi- 
dently hunting  for  meadow  mice  in  the  grass  of  the  meadow. 

Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  Accipiter  velox  (Wilson)  tr  and  sr. 
These  hawks  are  fortunately  uncommon  in  the  Park.  In  the 
early  spring  of  1909  I  watched  one  trying  to  prey  upon  a 
covey  of  quail  among  the  bushes  of  the  nursery. 

Cooper's  Hawk,  Accipiter  coo  peri  (Bonaparte)  sr.  and  wr. 
This  is  the  more  common  hawk  found  in  the  Park  during  the 
summer  months.  It  nests  in  the  tree  tops  of  the  more  secluded 
portions  of  the  Park. 

Red-tailed  Hawk,  Buteo  borealis  borealis  (Gmelin)  r. 
It  is  quite  common  to  see  these  beautiful  big  hawks  sailing 
gracefully  about  high  in  the  air  over  the  Park  during  migra- 
tion. Sometimes  their  clear,  ringing  notes  are  heard.  I  have 
one  winter  record. 

Red-shouldered  Hawk,  Buteo  lineatus  lineatus  (Gmelin) 
r.  This  fine  hawk  no  doubt  comes  to  the  Park  during  some 
of  its  wanderings  after  food,  but  the  records  that  I  have  are 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE   PARK  103 

always  followed  by  a  question  mark,  indicating  that  the  identi- 
fication was  unsatisfactory. 

Broad-winged  Hawk,  Buteo  platypterus,  (Viellot)  sr.  A 
Broad-winged  Hawk  nests  near  the  Blue  River  west  of  the 
Rifle  Range.  Occasionally  others  are  seen  flying  about  over 
the  Park.  It  is  not  altogether  easy  to  distinguish  it  from 
Cooper's  Hawk,  which  also  nests  in  the  Park. 

Rough-legged  Hawk,  Archibuteo  lagopus  sancti-johannis 
(Gmelin)  wr.  This  fine  hawk  is  not  so  frequent  in  the  Park 
as  it  is  in  the  prairie  sections  of  the  country.  A  record  for  the 
Park  was  furnished  by  Mr.  Harris. 

Bald  Eagle,  Haliaeetus  leucocephalus  leucocephalus 
(Linn)  tr.  It  is  very  unusual,  in  these  days,  to  see  a  Bald 
Eagle  in  this  part  of  the  country.  Mr.  Ralph  Hoffman  saw 
one  of  these  magnificent  birds  by  the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  and 
during  the  winter  of  1919-20,  one  was  repeatedly  seen  in  the 
Missouri  bottoms  near  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Blue  River. 

Pigeon  Hawk,  Falco  columbarius  columbarius  Linn  tr. 
This  is  another  one  of  the  uncommon  birds  for  this  region. 
One  was  found  in  the  Park  in  the  spring  of  1918  by  Mr. 
Harry  Harris. 

Sparrow  Hawk,  Falco  sparverius  sparverius  Linn  sr. 
This  beautiful  falcon  is  the  most  common  "Hawk"  of  the 
Park.  It  nests  in  the  Park  and  also  in  the  adjacent  territory. 
During  the  summer  of  1914  one  nested  in  a  bird  box  in  my 
yard. 

Osprey,  Pandion,  halaetus  carolinensis  (Gmelin)  tr.  The 
Fish  Hawk  occasionally  is  seen  flying  about  over  the  lakes  in 
the  Park.  I  have  two  authentic  records. 


104  BIRDS  OF   SWOPE   PARK 

Barn  Owl,  Aluco  pratincola  (Bonaparte)  r.  So  quiet  is 
this  night  hunter  that  it  is  possibly  more  common  than  we 
think.  Walter  Cunningham  reports  one  as  a  summer  bird  for 
the  Park,  finding  it  in  Section  Number  10. 

Barred  Owl,  Strix  varia  varia  Barton  r.  No  doubt  this 
bird  breeds  in  the  Park,  but  my  records  are  all  for  spring  and 
winter.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  their  demoniacal  "song," 
during  the  warm  evenings  of  early  spring. 

Screech  Owl,  Otus  asio  asio  (Linn)  r.  Screech  Owls  are 
rather  common  all  about  the  Park  as  is  indicated  by  their 
calls  during  spring  time.  One  regularly  spends  its  winter 
days  in  a  bird  box  in  my  yard. 

Great  Horned  Owl,  Bubo  virginianus  virginianus  (Gmelin) 
r.  A  few  of  these  big  fellows  keep  company  with  the  Barred 
Owls  in  the  deeper  woods  of  the  Park. 

Yellow-billed  Cuckoo,  Coccjzus  americanus  americanus 
(Linn)  sr.  Yellow-billed  Cuckoos  are  quite  common  in  all 
portions  of  the  Park,  though  not  very  noticeable  because  of 
their  quiet  ways. 

Black-billed  Cuckoo,  Coccjzus  erylhrophthalmus  (Wil- 
son) tr.  This  bird  is  quite  uncommon  in  this  region.  It  has 
been  reported  near  the  Park  and  no  doubt  occurs  in  the  Park 
during  migration;  perhaps  more  common  than  we  think  be- 
cause of  the  difficulty  of  distinguishing  it  from  the  Yellow- 
billed  Cuckoo. 

Belted  Kingfisher,  Ceryle  alcyon  (Linn)  sr.  During  sum- 
mer a  few  Kingfishers  plunge  for  fish  along  the  Blue  River 
and  occasionally  one  may  find  their  burrow  in  the  bank.  I 
have  two  records  of  the  bird  as  a  winter  resident  of  the  Park. 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE   PARK  105 

One  nested  in  Section  Number  10,  during  the  summer  of  1919. 

Hairy  Woodpecker,  Dry  abates  villosus  villosus  (Linn)  r. 
The  Hairy  Woodpecker  is  common  in  the  wilder  parts  of  the 
Park  and  may  also  be  found  in  the  more  frequented  portions, 
especially  during  winter  when  it  comes  to  our  door  yards. 

Downy  Woodpecker,  Dry  abates  pubescens  medianus 
(Swainson)  r.  This  delightful  bird  is  common  everywhere 
in  the  Park,  but  especially  so  in  the  woods  of  the  hill  slopes. 

Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  Sphyrapicus  varius  varius 
(Linn)  tr.  Comparatively  few  people  ever  see  this  beautifully 
marked  woodpecker.  Even  the  regular  bird  student  jots  down 
a  memorandum  upon  finding  it.  It  is  reported  for  the  Park 
in  April  and  also  in  December. 

Northern  Pileated  Woodpecker,  Philoeotomus  pileatus  al- 
bieticola  (Bangs).  Some  years  ago  these  large,  beautiful 
woodpeckers  were  no  doubt  qute  common  in  the  Park.  I  have 
one  record  by  Mr.  John  Scott  in  1910.  Unfortunately  it  is  no 
longer  found  here. 

Red-headed  Woodpecker,  Melanerpes  erythrocephalus 
(Linn)  sr.  Red-heads  are  very  common  in  the  frequented 
parts  of  the  Park  during  summer,  and  nearly  every  year  a  few 
may  be  found  spending  the  winter  in  the  shelter  of  the  woods. 

Red-bellied  Woodpecker,  Centurus  carolinus  (Linn)  r. 
The  Red-bellied  or  Guinea  Woodpecker  is  fairly  common  in 
the  deeper  woods  of  the  Park  during  summer.  In  winter  it 
frequently  leaves  the  woods  and  takes  its  turn  at  the  suet 
and  scraps  in  our  dooryards. 

Northern  Flicker,  Colaptes  auratus  luteus  Bangs  r.  The 
Flicker  is  very  common  during  migration  and  quite  a  few 


106  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE   PARK 

are  found  in  the  Park  throughout  the  summer.  It  is  more 
common  in  the  open  groves  about  the  picnic  grounds  than  in 
the  denser  woods.  A  few  are  usually  to  be  found  during  the 
winter. 

Chuck-will's  widow,  Antrostomus  carolinensis  (Gmelin) 
tr.  A  very  unusual  record  for  this  bird  was  obtained  May  3, 
1918,  when  one  came  to  my  yard  at  dusk  and  repeatedly  sang 
his  name.  I  had  a  fairly  good  view  of  the  bird  as  it  flew. 
This  is  the  only  record  for  this  bird  in  this  region. 

Whippoorwill,  Antrostomus  vociferus  (Wilson)  sr.  Be- 
ginning in  the  middle  of  April  and  continuing  throughout 
May,  the  Whippoorwill  is  very  noticeable  around  the  Lake  of 
the  Woods  and  the  country  to  the  east  because  of  its  loud 
ringing  notes.  They  may  be  heard  intermittently  throughout 
the  night,  continuing  till  daybreak. 

Nighthawk,  Chordeiles  virginianus  virginianus  (Gmelin) 
sr.  Great  droves  of  Nighthawks  may  be  seen  sweeping  the 
air  over  the  golf  links  during  the  migration  period  of  early 
May  and  again  in  late  September.  During  the  summer  months 
they  are  rarely  seen  in  the  Park,  though  a  few  nest  along  the 
rocky  bluffs. 

The  sub-species  of  Western  Nighthawk  and  Sennet's 
Nighthawk  have  also  been  observed  in  the  migrating  crowds. 

Chimney  Swift,  Chaetura  pelagica  (Linn)  sr.  Chimney 
Swifts  are  common  about  the  Pavillion  and  wherever  there 
are  unused  chimneys.  They  arrive  early  in  April  and  remain 
until  early  October. 

Ruby-throated  Hummingbird,  Archilochus  colubris 
(Linn)  sr.  About  the  time  the  Buckeye  trees  come  into  bloom 


LIST  OF  BIRDS  IN  THE  PARK  107 

in  the  latter  part  of  April,  one  may  find  Hummingbirds  in 
the  Park;  some  are  here  to  stay  and  build  their  lichen  covered 
cup-shaped  nests  where  few  people  ever  find  them. 

Kingbird,  Tyrannus  tyrannus  (Linn)  sr.  The  first  King- 
bird's notes  are  heard  in  the  Park  about  the  last  week  in  April. 
It  is  more  common  about  dwellings  and  in  the  places  fre- 
quented by  man  than  in  secluded  regions. 

Crested  Flycatcher,  Myiarchus  crinitus  (Linn)  sr.  The 
Crested  Flycatchers  arrive  with  the  Kingbirds  and  add  their 
harsh  shrieks  to  the  discordant  cries  of  the  latter.  They  are 
more  common  in  the  frequented  parts  of  the  Park. 

Phoebe,  Sayornis  phoebe  (Latham)  sr.  There  are  a  few 
places  in  the  Park,  along  the  rocky  ledges  and  culverts,  where 
the  Phoebes  return  year  after  year  to  nest.  They  come  early 
in  March  and  stay  until  middle  October. 

Wood  Peewee,  Myiochanes  virens  (Linn)  sr.  Not  until 
about  May  10th  are  the  first  plaintive  notes  of  "Pee-ah-wee" 
heard  in  the  Park.  From  that  time  on  the  bird  may  be  heard 
in  all  of  the  woods  portions  of  the  Park. 

Acadian  Flycatcher,  Empidonax  virescens  (Vieillot)  sr. 
This  interesting  flycatcher  is  known  by  comparatively  few  of 
the  people  who  visit  the  Park,  for  it  takes  up  its  abode  in  the 
deeper  woods,  and  its  quiet  ways  and  modest  plumage  makes 
it  inconspicuous. 

Least  Flycatcher,  Empidonax  minimus  (W.  H.  an  S.  F. 
Baird)  tr.  Chebecs  are  quite  common  throughout  the  Park 
during  the  early  part  of  May  but  doubtless  none  remain  dur- 
ing the  summer. 

Prairie  Horned  Lark,  Otocoris  alpestris  practicola  Hen- 


108  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

shaw  r.  Horned  Larks  are  found  sparingly  in  the  Park, 
though  common  enough  in  the  prairie  country  near  by.  Oc- 
casionally one  nests  on  the  golf  courses. 

Bljue  Jay,  Cyanocitta  cristata  cristata  (Linn)  r.  Blue  Jays 
are  to  be  found  in  all  parts  of  the  Park  at  all  times  of  the 
year,  though  they  are  more  numerous  in  the  parts  frequented 
by  human  beings. 

Crow,  Corvus  brachjrhjnchos  brack yrhynchos  Brehm 
r.  There  is  never  a  day  during  which  crows  may  not  be  seen 
flying  about  over  the  Park,  but  they  nest  only  in  the  more 
secluded  portions. 

Bobolink,  Dolichonyx  oryzivorus  (Linn)  tr.  These 
birds  are  all  too  uncommon  with  us,  even  during  migration. 
We  would  be  glad  to  see  more  of  them  and  be  delighted  with 
their  songs.  My  Park  record  includes  only  two  male  birds 
that  I  saw  and  heard  sing  in  a  red  haw  tree  in  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  Park,  May  11,  1919. 

Cowbird,  Molothrus  ater  ater  (Boddaert)  sr.  Cowbirds 
are  all  too  common  throughout  the  Park.  Scarcely  a  nest  of 
vireo  or  warbler  or  bunting  can  be  found  that  does  not  have 
one  or  two  Cowbird  eggs  in  it. 

Red-winged  Blackbird,  Agelaius  phoenicius  phoenicius 
(Linn)  sr  and  occasional  r.  These  birds  are  very  numerous 
during  migration  and  sometimes  great  flocks  are  seen  dur- 
ing winter.  Few,  if  any,  nest  in  the  Park. 

Thick-billed  Red-wing,  Agelaius  phoenicius  fortis,  Ridg- 
way  wr.  During  the  winter  of  1917  thousands  of  these  north- 
western Red-wings  spent  part  of  the  winter  months  in  the 
Park.  This  was  unusual. 


LIST    OF   BIRDS    IN    THE    PARK  109 

Northern  Red-wing,  Agelaius  phoeniceus  arctolegus  Ober- 
holser  tr  and  wr.  This  sub-species  also  occurs  sometimes  in 
great  numbers  during  migration. 

Meadowlark,  Sturnella  magna  magna  (Linn)  sr.  A  very 
common  bird  in  the  open  places  in  the  Park.  It  is  not  unusual 
to  find  a  few  spending  the  winter  with  us.  By  the  middle  of 
March  their  songs  are  heard  in  all  directions. 

Western  Meadowlark,  Sturnella  neglacta  Audobon  tr. 
The  Western  Meadowlark  is  occasionally  heard  singing  dur- 
ing the  migration  season,  and  is  easily  identified  by  its  melodi- 
ous note  with  its  unique  ending. 

Orchard  Oriole,  Icterus  spurius  (Linn)  sr.  The  Orchard 
Oriole  is  rare  for  Swope  Park,  but  quite  common  in  the  resi- 
dence district  bordering  the  Park.  They  prefer  the  trees  and 
orchards  about  our  homes. 

Baltimore  Oriole,  Icterus  galbula  (Linn)  sr.  Baltimore 
Orioles  are  also  more  common  in  residence  districts  than  else- 
where. Only  a  few  were  found  in  the  Park,  and  these  occurred 
in  the  more  frequented  portions. 

Rusty  Blackbird,  Euphagus  carolinus  (Muller)  tr.  A 
few  birds  of  this  species  are  usually  found  associated  with  the 
flocks  of  the  next  during  migration.  They  evidently  occur  in 
the  Park. 

Bronzed  Crackle,  Quiscalus  quiscala  aenue  Ridgway 
sr.  Great  numbers  of  these  Crackles  occur  during  migration, 
and  they  are  also  rather  numerous  during  summer  in  those 
regions  of  the  Park  that  are  used  for  picnic  parties. 

Purple  Finch,  Carpodacus  purpureus  purpureus  (Gmelin) 
tr.  Occasionally  flocks  of  these  beautiful  birds  are  found  in 


110  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

the  Park  during  winter,  but  they  are  more  abundant  during 
the  very  early  spring.  They  are  often  found  feeding  on  the 
fruit  of  the  buckbush  (Symphoricarpos) . 

Crossbill,  Loxia  curvirostra  minor  (Brehm)  wr.  Cross- 
bills are  not  infrequently  found  in  the  Park  during  winter, 
where  they  feed  not  on  their  favorite  food  of  pine  seeds,  but 
on  seeds  of  wild  sunflower.  They  are  most  easily  identified 
at  a  distance  by  their  darting  flight  and  by  their  wild,  clear 
notes. 

Goldfinch,  Astragalinus  tristis  tristis  (Linn)  r.  Gold- 
finches are  found  throughout  the  Park,  though  not  at  all 
numerous  during  the  summer.  They  are  most  abundant  about 
the  time  the  elm  seeds  begin  to  ripen  when  their  twittering 
chorus  from  the  tops  of  the  trees  gives  a  most  pleasing  effect. 

Pine  Siskin,  Spinus  pinus  (Wilson)  tr.  Siskins  are  rather 
uncommon  here,  though  flocks  of  a  dozen  or  more  may  be 
found  in  early  spring  feeding  on  the  elm  seeds  in  company 
with  the  Goldfinches. 

English  Sparrow,  Passer  domesticus  (Linn)  These 
troublesome  birds  are  quite  a  nuisance  about  the  Pavillions 
and  the  Zoo,  but  fortunately  do  not  interfere  with  the  majority 
of  the  Park  birds. 

Lapland  Longspur,  Calcarius  lapponicus  lapponicus 
(Linn)  wr.  Although  the  Lapland  Longspur  is  not  recorded 
as  yet  within  the  absolute  boundaries  of  the  Park,  they  are 
found  at  times  in  considerable  numbers  in  the  open  country 
to  the  west,  and  no  doubt  also  come  to  the  Park. 

Vesper  Sparrow,  Pooectes  gramineus  gramineus  (Gmelin) 
tr.  This  bird  is  probably  fairly  common  in  the  Park  during 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE   PARK  111 

migration,  though  rarely  seen  because  of  its  habits  of  hiding 
in  the  grass.  I  have  seen  it  in  the  Park  but  once,  and  Mr. 
Smithson  gives  me  another  record,  May  5th,  1916. 

Savannah  Sparrow,  Passerculus  sandwichiensis  savanna 
(Wilson)  tr.  This  is  another  species  that  is  hard  to  find  and 
may  be  more  common  than  the  records  would  indicate.  It 
loves  wet  meadows  and  I  have  found  a  number  of  the  spar- 
rows in  the  meadow  near  the  Lagoon. 

Grasshopper  Sparrow,  Ammodramus  savannarum  aus- 
tralis  (Maynard)  sr.  I  failed  to  find  this  bird  nesting  in  the 
Park  at  the  time  the  census  was  taken,  but  since  then  I  have 
found  it  nesting  on  the  Rifle  Range.  They  are  abundant  here 
during  migration.  Their  queer  insect-like  notes  may  be  heard 
in  all  directions  as  late  as  the  middle  of  May. 

Henslow's  Sparrow,  Passerherbulus  henslowi  henslowi 
(Audobon)  tr  and  sometimes  sr.  Mr.  Harris  furnishes  me 
with  records  for  this  sparrow,  found  on  the  Rifle  Range 
meadow.  I  have  not  identified  it  as  a  nesting  bird,  though  it 
probably  does  nest  in  the  meadow. 

Leconte's  Sparrow,  Passerherbulus  leconti  (Audobon)  tr. 
This  inconspicuous  sparrow  easily  escapes  notice.  I  have 
seen  it  but  few  times  in  the  Park.  It  should  be  looked  for  in 
the  grassland. 

Lark  Sparrow,  Chondestes  grammacus  grammacus  (Say) 
sr.  Since  the  census  was  taken  I  have  found  the  Lark  Sparrows 
as  a  nesting  bird  in  the  Old  Nursery  near  the  Blue  River.  It 
is  an  uncommon  bird  for  the  Park. 

Harris'  Sparrow,  uonotrichia  querula,  Nuttall  tr.  and  oc- 
casional wr.  Common  everywhere  during  migration,  these 


112  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE  PARK 

fine  singers  add  to  the  spring  chorus  of  bird  voices  in  the  Park. 
They  have  at  times  come  to  my  yard  for  food  during  the 
winter. 

White-crowned  Sparrow,  Zonotrichia  leucophrys  leuco- 
phrys  (J.  R.  Forster)  tr  and  wr.  These  sparrows  are  not  un- 
common during  migration.  They  may  be  found  in  the  Park 
during  October  and  April,  and  occasionally  during  winter. 

White-throated  Sparrow,  Zonotruchia  albicolia  Gmelin 
tr.  The  White-throats  are  quite  common  in  the  Park  during 
migration,  being  more  conspicuous  in  April  when  they  may 
be  heard  calling  "Old-man-peabody." 

Tree  Sparrow,  Spizella  monticola  monticola  (Gmelin)  wr. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  common  birds  of  the  Park  during  the 
winter.  It  is  a  delight  to  hear  their  twitterings  from  the  weed 
patches  along  the  Blue  River. 

Chipping  sparrow,  Spizella  passerina  passerina  (Bech- 
stein)  sr.  Chipping  Sparrows  are  too  much  attached  to  human 
habitations  to  be  at  all  numerous  in  the  Park,  though  they  are 
occasionally  found  in  several  different  sections. 

Clay-colored  Sparrow,  Spizella  pallida  (Swainson)  tr. 
These  Sparrows  are  quite  numerous  among  the  red  haw 
bushes  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  Park  during  the  latter  part 
of  April  and  in  early  May,  where  they  feed  on  canker  worms. 

Field  Sparrow,  Spizella  pusilla  pusilla  (Wilson)  sr. 
We  are  always  glad  to  hear  the  tinkling  song  of  this  sparrow 
that  arrives  in  the  Park  in  early  March.  They  nest  through- 
out the  more  open  sections. 

Slate-colored  Junco,  Junco  hy emails  hyemalis  (Linn)  wr. 
This  is  by  far  the  most  numerous  bird  in  the  Park  during 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE   PARK  113 

winter,  being  found  in  all  portions.  They  begin  to  arrive 
in  early  October  and  some  remain  until  past  the  middle  of 
April.  It  is  in  late  March  that  the  greatest  numbers  are  to 
be  found,  at  which  season  their  musical  twitterings  and 
gurgling  songs  are  very  delightful. 

Song  Sparrow,  Melospiza  melodia  melodia  (Wilson)  tr 
and  WT.  Early  in  March  the  songs  of  the  Song  Sparrow  begin 
to  be  heard  along  the  streams  throughout  the  Park.  Unfor- 
tunately for  us  they  do  not  long  remain  and  we  rarely  find 
them  after  the  first  of  May. 

Lincoln's  Sparrow,  Melospiza  lincolni  lincolni  (Audobon) 
tr  and  occasional  wr.  This  species  is  not  quite  so  common  as 
the  preceding,  and  they  arrive  a  week  or  so  later. 

Swamp  Sparrow,  Melospiza  georgiana  (Latham)  tr. 
Swamp  Sparrows  are  not  common  in  Swope  Park.  A  few  may 
be  found  during  migration  in  such  regions  as  the  Rifle  Range 
and  along  the  weedy  banks  of  the  Blue  River. 

Fox  Sparrow,  Basserella  iliaca  iliaca  (Merrem)  tr  and  wr. 
Fox  Sparrows  are  sometimes  found  in  the  Park  during  winter, 
but  the  time  to  meet  them  in  greater  numbers  is  during  March 
and  October.  In  March  they  are  very  musical. 

Towhee,  Piplia  erythrophthalmus  erythrophtalmus  (Linn) 
sr.  Towhees  are  most  common  near  the  borders  of  the  fre- 
quented portions  of  the  Park,  becoming  almost  rare  in  the 
more  secluded  portions,  regardless  of  the  character  of  the  vege- 
tation. Spring  migrants  begin  to  arrive  about  the  middle  of 
March. 

Cardinal,  Cardinalis  cardinalis  cardinalis  (Linnaeus) 
r.  Cardinals  are  quite  common,  and  uniformly  distributed 


114  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE   PARK 

throughout  the  Park  during  summer,  but  during  winter  they 
congregate  about  the  tall  horseweeds  along  the  Blue  River. 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeak,  Zamelodia  ludoviciana  (Linn) 
sr.  Rose-breasts  are  quite  rare  in  Swope  Park,  though  not 
uncommon  in  the  neighboring  residence  districts.  They  seem 
to  prefer  to  nest  near  our  homes. 

Blue  Grosbeak,  Guiraca  caerulea  caerulea  Linn  sr.  Al- 
though I  have  no  record  of  this  bird  within  the  boundaries  of 
the  Park,  I  have  seen  a  pair  and  their  nest  with  young  near  a 
cottage  a  short  distance  east  of  the  Park.  This  was  in  1918; 
the  next  year  the  birds  nested  in  the  same  region. 

Indigo  Bunting,  Passerina  cyanea  (Linn)  sr.  Indigo 
birds  are  abundant  in  all  but  the  most  frequented  portions  of 
the  Park,  being  the  most  numerous  of  the  summer  birds.  They 
love  the  dry  sunny  borders  of  the  groves  and  hill  slopes. 
Spring  arrivals  are  rather  late,  only  a  few  arriving  before  the 
first  of  May. 

Dickcissel,  Spiza  americana  (Gmelin)  sr.  Dickcissels  are 
abundant  only  in  the  unkempt  meadows  of  the  Park.  None  are 
found  in  the  woods  covering  the  hill  slopes.  The  Rifle  Range 
is  a  favorite  resort  for  them  during  the  nesting  season. 

Scarlet  Tanager,  Piranga  erythromelas  Viellot  sr.  Scarlet 
Tanagers  are  more  common  in  Swope  Park  than  in  other 
neighboring  regions,  since  they  love  the  dry  wooded  hill 
slopes  to  the  east  and  south.  It  arrives  about  the  last  of  April 
and  remains  until  the  last  of  September. 

Summer  Tanager,  Piranga  rubra  rubra  (Linn)  sr.  This 
bird  while  not  quite  as  common  in  the  Park  as  is  the  Scarlet 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE    PARK  115 

Tanager,  is  not  uncommon  in  the  hilltop  woods  to  the  east. 
It  comes  and  goes  with  the  Scarlet  Tanager. 

Purple  Martin,  Progne  subis  subis  (Linn)  sr.  A  scattered 
few  Martins  are  found  flying  about  over  the  Park.  It  may  be 
that  some  nest  in  hollow  trees  in  the  Park,  but  it  is  more 
probable  that  they  are  merely  searching  for  food.  We  need 
more  bird  houses  for  them. 

Barn  Swallow,  Hirundo  erythrogaster  Boddaert  tr  and 
sr.  Occasionally  a  Barn  Swallow  is  seen  flying  about  over  the 
Lake  of  the  Woods  and  Lagoon,  or  dipping  about  over  the  golf 
course  in  summer.  It  is  comon  over  the  Park  lakes  during  May 
and  June,  but  I  have  no  record  to  indicate  that  the  bird  nests 
in  the  Park. 

Tree  Swallow,  Iridoprocne  bicolor  (Vieillot)  tr.  Large 
flocks  of  these  swallows  are  sometimes  seen  resting  on  the  tele- 
phone wires  on  the  borders  of  the  Park,  during  September  and 
October.  They  are  also  commonly  seen  flying  about  over  the 
Park  lakes  during  migration. 

Bank  Swallow,  Riparia  riparia  (Linn)  sr.  These  Swallows 
nest  in  great  colonies  in  the  loess  bluffs  along  the  Missouri 
River,  none  are  found  nesting  in  the  Park.  During  migration, 
however,  they  are  not  uncommon  about  the  lakes  in  company 
with  the  preceeding. 

Rough-winged  Swallow,  Stelgidopteryx  serripennis  (Aud- 
obon)  sr.  These  Swallows  also  are  found  wheeling  about  over 
the  lakes,  even  during  the  summer  months,  and  may  nest  in 
the  Park.  Their  nesting  sites  are  not  as  easily  located  as  are 
those  of  the  Bank  Swallow. 

Bohemian  Waxwing,  Bomby  cilia  garrula  Linn  wr.       Mr. 


116  BIRDS  OF   SWOPE   PARK 

Harris  repeatedly  saw  a  lone  Bohemian  Waxwing  in  company 
with  a  flock  of  Cedar  Waxwings  during  the  month  of  April, 
1920.  The  bird  is  uncommon  in  this  region. 

Cedar  Waxwing,  Bombjcilla  cedorium  Vieillot  tr  and 
wr.  One  hardly  knows  when  to  look  for  Cedar  Waxwings.  They 
may  be  found  most  any  time  during  winter,  and  again  they 
may  be  quite  rare.  In  recent  years  flocks  of  forty  or  more 
birds  have  spent  several  weeks  in  the  Park  and  vicinity  during 
the  spring  months.  I  have  no  records  later  than  the  first  week 
of  June. 

Migrant  Shrike,  Lanus  ludovicianus  bigrans  W.  Palmer 
sr  and  occasional  wr.  Only  a  very  few  Shrikes  nest  among 
the  red  haw  bushes  bordering  the  golf  courses;  a  rare  bird 
for  Swope  Park. 

Red-eyed  Vireo,  Vireosjlva  olivacea  (Linn)  sr.  This  is 
one  of  the  more  numerous  summer  birds  for  the  Park,  being 
found  in  all  of  the  wooded  portions.  It  arrives  during  the 
last  week  in  April  and  remains  until  late  September. 

Warbling  Vireo,  Vireosjlva  gilva  gilva  (Vieillot)  sr. 
These  fine  singers  are  quite  common  during  migration,  but 
seem  to  prefer  the  orchards  and  groves  about  our  homes  for 
their  nesting  environment.  I  have  but  two  records  for  nesting 
birds  near  the  margin  of  the  Park,  one  of  these  being  in  my 
yard.  They  arrive  and  leave  a  little  earlier  than  the  Red-eyed 
Vireo. 

Yellow-throated  Vireo,  Laniviero  flavifrons  (Vieillot)  sr. 
Only  a  few  nesting  birds  of  this  species  are  found  in  the  Park. 
They  are  also  less  common  during  migration  than  the  the  pre- 
ceding. It  is  a  good  sense  perception  test  to  distinguish  its 


LIST   OF   BIRDS    IN    THE    PARK  117 

note  from  that  of  the  Red-eye.     They  come  and  go  with  the 
Warbling  Vireo. 

Blue-headed  Vireo,  Lanivireo  solitarius  solitarius  (Wil- 
son) tr.  I  have  found  this  Vireo  but  a  few  times  in  the  Park. 
May  3d,  1912,  I  watched  one  as  it  sang  from  the  haw  trees  in 
the  northwest  part  of  the  Park;  again  in  1918  and  in  1919  I 
have  found  this  spectacled  bird  in  this  region. 

White-eyed  Vireo,  Vireo  griseus  griseus  (Boddaert)  sr. 
These  interesting  Vireos  are  rather  common  among  the  scrag- 
gling  bushes  of  the  more  secluded  portions  of  the  Park.  They 
arrive  about  the  first  of  May. 

Bell's  Vireo,  Vireo  belli  belli  Audobon  sr.  Bell's 
Vireo  is  rare  within  the  Park,  though  common  enough  along 
brushy  fence  rows  bordering  the  Park.  They  nest  about  my 
home  every  summer.  They  are  here  from  the  first  of  May 
until  the  latter  half  of  September.  (Sept.  24,  1916.) 

Black  and  White  Warbler,  Mniotilta  varia  (Linn)  sr. 
These  Warblers  are  rather  uncommon  in  the  Park  during  sum- 
mer though  frequently  seen  in  the  latter  half  of  April.  They 
nest  in  the  less  frequented  woods.  Because  of  its  interesting 
feeding  habits,  its  distinctive  markings,  and  the  ease  with 
which  it  may  be  approached,  it  is  better  known  than  other  far 
more  numerous  Warblers. 

Prothonotary  Warbler,  Prothonotaria  citrea  (Boddaert) 
sr.  This  Warbler  is  common  along  the  Missouri  River  bot- 
tom, but  is  rare  in  the  Park  even  during  migration.  I  have  but 
two  records  of  its  nesting  in  the  Park.  These  were  near  the 
Blue  River,  for  it  loves  to  stay  near  waterways. 

Worm-eating  Warbler,  Helmilheros  vermivorus   (Gmelin) 


118  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE   PARK 

sr.  If  you  are  in  some  secluded  part  of  the  Park  and  think 
you  hear  a  Chipping  Sparrow,  better  take  a  good  look  to  see 
if  it  is  not  a  Worm-eating  Warbler.  The  Worm-eating  Warbler 
is  a  fairly  common  bird  along  the  lower  part  of  Shiloh  Hollow 
and  also  along  the  shores  of  the  Lake  of  the  Woods.  It  does 
not  arrive  until  early  May  and  leaves  early  in  September.  This 
is  one  of  the  interesting  and  valuable  birds  that  we  may  have 
in  this  region  only  as  long  as  we  leave  sections  of  the  Park 
in  its  undisturbed  natural  wildness. 

Blue-winged  Warbler,  Vermivora  pinus  (Linn)  sr.  This  is 
another  bird  that  will  be  driven  from  the  country  if  we  are  too 
zealous  in  clearing  up  all  of  the  brushy  hillsides.  It  is  now 
rather  common  in  the  dry,  wooded  regions  of  the  Park.  It  is 
a  very  beautiful  bird,  that  is  all  the  more  interesting  because 
of  its  peculiar,  insect-like  song.  It  arrives  during  the  latter 
part  of  April. 

Nashville  W'arbler,  Vermivora  rubricapilla  rubracapilla 
(Wilson)  tr.  Nashville  Warblers  are  found  in  considerable 
numbers  throughout  the  Park  during  migration,  being  espe- 
cially noticeable  during  the  first  week  in  May.  They  are  most 
common  among  the  red  haw  trees  in  the  northwest  corner  of 
the  Park. 

Orange-crowned  Warbler,  Vermivora  celata  celata  Say 
tr.  Orange-crowned  Warblers  are  rather  common  migrants  in 
company  with  the  Nashville  Warbler  and  Tennessee  Warbler. 
It  is  not  easily  distinguished  in  the  field  from  the  Nashville 
Warbler. 

Tennessee  Warbler,  Vermivora  peregrina  (Wilson)  tr. 
At  about  the  first  of  May  the  red  haw  bushes  in  the  northwest 


LIST  OF  BIRDS  IN  THE  PARK  119 

corner  of  the  Park  are  swarming  with  twittering,  nervous  little 
birds  that  flit  from  bud  to  bud  as  they  peer  about  the  leaves 
and  blossoms  for  insects.  The  great  majority  of  these  busy- 
bodies  are  Tennessee  Warblers.  At  this  time  of  year  there  are, 
thousands  of  them  in  the  Park. 

Northern  Parula  Warbler,  Compsothlypis  americana 
usneae  Brewster  sr.  Parula  Warblers  are  common  in  the 
Park  during  migration,  and  several  nest  in  the  woods  along 
the  Blue  River  and  also  in  the  thick  woods  shelter  of  Hazel 
Dell.  Here,  again,  is  a  bird  that  may  be  saved  for  the  com- 
munity only  by  saving  their  retreats  from  despoilation.  The 
bird  is  easily  identified  by  its  song. 

Yellow  Warbler,  Dendroica  aestiva  aestiva  (Gmelin)  tr 
and  sr.  Yellow  Warblers  are  common  everywhere  during  mi- 
gration, and  not  uncommon  as  nesting  birds  in  neighboring 
regions,  but  thus  far  I  have  failed  to  find  it  as  a  summer  bird 
for  the  Park.  They  are  quite  numerous  during  the  first  two 
weeks  of  May. 

Myrtle  Warbler,  Dendroica  coronate  (Linn)  tr.  These 
are  the  first  of  the  migrating  Warblers  to  arrive  in  the  spring, 
a  few  may  be  found  during  the  latter  part  of  March.  During 
middle  April,  they  are  present  in  thousands,  though  not  quite 
so  numerous  in  the  Park  as  in  the  orchards  and  scattered 
groves  elsewhere  in  the  neighborhood. 

Magnolia  Warbler,  Dendroica  magnolia  (Wilson)  tr.  A 
few  of  these  beautiful  Warblers  can  usually  be  found  in  the 
Park  during  the  second  w^eek  of  May. 

Cerulean  Warbler,  Dendroica  cerulea  (Wilson)  tr  and 
sr.  The  Cerulean  Warbler  is  found  as  a  summer  bird  in  the 


120  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

Park  in  the  same  localities  as  the  Parula  Warbler.  A  little 
practice  will  enable  one  to  distinguish  it  by  its  song  which 
bears  some  resemblance  to  that  of  the  Parula.  It  would  be  a 
misfortune  to  have  them  driven  from  the  Park  by  too  much 
of  an  encroachment  on  the  wild  woods  they  inhabit.  Both 
Cerulean  and  Parula  Warblers  arrive  during  the  latter  half  of 
April,  but  the  Cerulean  is  usually  a  week  later  than  the 
Parula. 

Chestnut-sided  Warbler,  Dendroica  pennsylvanica  (Linn) 
tr.  This  is  one  of  the  more  unusual  migrants  to  visit  the  Park. 
I  have  but  two  records.  It  arrives  later  than  the  other 
warblers. 

Bay-breasted  Warbler,  Dendrocia  castanea  Wilson  tr.  Mr. 
Cunningham  is  responsible  for  the  addition  of  this  rare  warbler 
to  the  Swope  Park  list.  It  was  seen  near  the  Lake  of  the 
Woods  May  16,  1920. 

Black-poll  Warbler,  Dendroica  striata  ( J.  R.  Forster)  tr. 
This  Warbler  is  also  a  late  arrival.  It  may  be  looked  for  in 
the  Park  the  second  and  third  week  in  May,  and  again  passes 
through  in  September. 

Blackburnian  Warbler,  Dendroica  fusca  (Muller)  tr. 
This,  also,  is  one  of  the  rarer  visitors  to  the  Park,  but  one  well 
worth  meeting  because  of  its  great  beauty.  I  have  seen  it  but 
once  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Park.  (Shiloh  Hollow,  May  13, 
1916.) 

Sycamore  Warbler,  Dendroica  dominica  albilora  (Ridge- 
way)  tr.  The  Sycamore  Warbler  is  an  uncommon  migrant, 
but  probably  more  common  along  Shiloh  Hollow  and  the 
Bine  River  in  the  Park  than  the  records  would  indicate,  for 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE    PARK  121 

it  stays  high  up  in  the  tree  tops  and  thus  escapes  notice.  It 
arrives  earlier  than  most  of  the  Warblers,  and  may  be  looked 
for  during  the  first  half  of  April.  Mr.  Hoffmann  gives  me 
records  for  May  15  and  for  May  13,  1916. 

Black-throated  Green  Warbler,  Dendroica  virens 
(Gmelin)  tr.  This  Warbler  is  also  an  uncommon  migrant. 
I  have  seen  it  but  once  in  Swope  Park. 

Palm  Warbler,  Dendroica  palmarum  Gmelin  tr.  This 
Warbler  is  quite  uncommon  in  this  part  of  the  country.  Mr. 
Cunningham  furnishes  me  with  a  record  for  Swope  Park  May 
15,  1920. 

Oven-bird,  Seiurus  aurocapillus  (Linn)  sr.  Swope  Park 
is  one  of  the  few  localities  in  this  part  of  the  country  in  which 
the  Oven-bird  nests.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  parts  of  the  Park 
frequented  by  this  and  other  retiring  species  will  be  left  un- 
disturbed so  that  we  may  continue  to  have  the  pleasure  of  its 
presence.  It  nests  in  Hazel  Dell.  Quite  a  few  migrants  may 
be  found  in  various  parts  of  the  Park  during  the  first  week 
of  May. 

Grinnell's  Water-Thrush,  Seiurus  noveboracensis  notabilis 
Ridgeway  tr....  This  Water-Thrush  is  much  less  common  than 
the  next.  I  have  seen  and  heard  it  in  the  Park  but  few  times. 

Louisiana  Water-Thrush,  Seiurus  motacilla  (Vieillot)  sr. 
The  Louisiana  Water -Thrush  nests  in  the  Park  in  Hazel  Dell 
and  in  the  lower  portion  of  Shiloh  Hollow.  It  is  found  in 
company  with  the  Grinnell's  Water-Thrush  in  the  early  half  of 
May.  The  two  may  be  distinguished  most  readily  by  their 
song. 

Kentucky  Warbler,    Oporornis    formosus     (Wilson)     sr. 


122  BIRDS  OF  SWOPE  PARK 

These  interesting  Warblers  are  fairly  numerous  in  the  secluded 
portions  of  the  Park;  quite  a  number  nest  in  the  same  locali- 
ties in  which  the  Oven-bird,  Parula  Warbler  and  Cerulean 
Warbler  inhabit.  They  are  here  from  the  first  of  May  until 
the  latter  part  of  September. 

Connecticut  Warbler,  Oporornis  agilis  (Wilson)  tr.  This 
is  a  rare  migrant  for  this  region.  I  have  found  it  but  once 
in  the  Park,  May  16,  1908. 

Mourning  Warbler,  Oporornis  Philadelphia  (Wilson)  tr. 
These  Warblers  are  not  so  common  but  that  the  bird  student 
usually  makes  special  note  of  those  seen.  I  usually  find  one 
or  two  among  the  red  haw  trees  in  the  northwest  part  of  the 
Park  in  middle  May. 

Maryland  Yellow-throat,  Geothlypis  tricas  (Linn)  sr. 
Maryland  Yellow-throats  arrive  from  the  south  during  the 
latter  half  of  April,  and  from  then  until  the  first  week  in  Sep- 
tember they  may  be  found  in  their  favorite  haunts  along 
thicket-bordered  streams.  Several  pairs  nest  in  the  Park. 

Yellow-breasted  Chat,  Icteria  virens  virens  (Linn.  sr. 
Quite  a  number  of  Chats  nest  along  the  brushy  hillsides  in 
Swope  Park.  They  are  prone  to  make  their  presence  known 
by  their  peculiar  cries  and  antics.  They  arrive  about  the  last 
of  April. 

Wilson's  Warbler,  Wilsonia  pusila  pusila  (Wilson)  tr. 
This  is  one  of  the  more  uncommon  warblers  that  passes 
through  the  Park  during  migration. 

Canada  Warbler,  Wilsonia  canadensis  (Linn)  tr.  It  is 
quite  unusual  to  find  this  Warbler  in  the  region  of  Kansas 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE   PARK  123 

City,  though  occasionally  a  few  stray  this  way.     One  was  seen 
in  the  Park  May  14,  1919. 

Redstart,  Setophaga  ruticilla  (Linn)  sr.  This  beautiful 
orange  and  black  warbler  is  commonly  distributed  throughout 
the  densely  wooded  parts  of  the  Park,  arriving  during  the  lat- 
ter part  of  April  and  remaining  until  September. 

Pipit,  Anthus  rubescent  (Tunstall)  tr.  Mr.  Ralph  Hoff- 
mann furnishes  me  with  the  only  record  I  have  for  this  bird 
in  the  Park  (March  30,  1914). 

Mockingbird,  Mimus  polyglottos  polyglottos  (Linn)  sr 
and  occasional  wr.  Mockingbirds  are  found  in  the  Park,  but 
they  prefer  the  groves  and  orchards  in  the  vicinity  of  dwell- 
ings. Two  pair  nest  regularly  across  the  street  from  the  north- 
west corner  of  the  Park. 

Catbird,  Dumatella  carolinensis  (Linn)  sr.  Catbirds  are 
common  only  in  the  shrubbery  of  the  more  frequented  por- 
tions of  the  Park.  The  Horticultural  plantings  about  the 
Shelter  House  and  about  the  Zoological  Gardens  are  favorable 
places.  They  arrive  at  their  nesting  places  during  the  latter 
part  of  April. 

Brown  Thrasher,  Toxostoma  rufrum  (Linn)  sr.  Brown 
Thrashers  are  common  in  the  same  environment  with  the  Cat- 
birds. They  are  somewhat  more  numerous  than  the  latter. 

Carolina  Wren,  Thryothorus  ludovicianus  ludovicianus 
(Latham)  r.  Carolina  Wrens  are  quite  generally  distributed 
along  the  rocky  ravines  in  the  Park.  Their  loud,  ringing 
notes  readily  betray  their  presence  in  early  spring. 

Western  House  Wren,  Troglodytes  aedon  parkmani 
Audobon  sr.  House  Wrens  begin  to  arrive  usually  about  the 


124  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE   PARK 

middle  of  April  and  from  then  on  through  the  first  part  of 
May  they  are  numerous  throughout  the  Park,  But  few  remain 
in  the  Park  to  nest,  as  they  prefer  to  be  near  to  human  resi- 
dences. 

Winter  Wren,  Nannus  hiemalis  hiemalis  (Vieillot)  wr. 
Winter  Wrens  are  irregular  winter  residents  in  the  Park.  Mr. 
Harris  reports  several  for  Shiloh  Hollow  during  the  winter  of 
1917,  and  I  have  found  it  near  the  Blue  River,  March,  1914. 

Brown  Creeper,  Certhia  familiaris  americana  Bonaparte 
wr.  These  interesting  little  birds  are  more  common  in  early 
spring  and  in  October  than  during  winter,  though  a  few  are 
usually  to  be  found  in  the  Park  throughout  the  winter  months. 

White-breasted  Nuthatch,  Sitta  carolinensis  Latham  r. 
The  White-breasted  Nuthatch  can  scarcely  be  called  common 
at  any  time,  but  they  are  more  noticeable  during  winter.  They 
are  easily  identified  by  their  queer  notes.  A  few  nest  in  the 
Park  woods. 

Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  Sitta  canadensis  Linn  tr.  This 
pretty  little  Nuthatch  may  be  looked  for  in  the  haunts  of  the 
preceding,  but  only  during  late  autumn  and  early  spring.  I 
have  one  unusually  late  record  on  May  13,  1917,  with  per- 
fectly satisfactory  views  for  identification. 

Tufted  Titmouse,  Baeolophus  bicolor  (Linn)  r.  Many  of 
these  birds  are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  Park  wherever  there 
are  trees  for  its  nests.  It  is  easily  recognized  by  its  habits  and 
by  its  song,  yet  many  people  who  wander  about  through  the 
Park  are  not  acquainted  with  it. 

Chickadee,  Penthestes  atricapillus  atricapillis  (Linn)  r. 
Chickadees  are  found  throughout  the  Park  in  company  with 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN    THE   PARK  125 

the  Titmice.  This  bird  seems  to  be  more  popular  than  the 
former,  and  is  better  known  by  the  casual  observer. 

Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  Regulus  satrepa  satrapa  Lich- 
tenstein  tr  and  wr.  There  are  many  Kinglets  in  the  Park 
during  the  early  part  of  April  and  again  in  October.  He  who 
fails  to  hear  their  soft,  gurgling  song,  or  to  see  them  flitting 
about  among  the  low  trees  and  bushes,  misses  one  of  the  most 
fascinating  experiences  of  the  woodland. 

Ruby-crowned  Kinglet,  Regulus  calendula  calendula 
(Linn)  tr.  These  dainty  little  birds  are  found  in  company 
with  the  Golden-crowned  Kinglets,  which  they  closely 
resemble  in  appearance,  in  song  and  in  habits.  They  remain 
a  week  or  so  later  than  does  the  Golden-crown. 

Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher,  Polioptilla  caerulea  caerulea 
(Linn)  sr.  These  graceful  little  birds  are  very  common  in 
the  dry  woods  of  the  hill  tops.  In  spite  of  this,  they  are 
known  and  recognized  by  but  very  few  of  the  many  people 
who  visit  the  Park.  They  arrive  about  the  middle  of  April 
and  by  the  latter  part  of  the  month  have  begun  building  their 
nests  of  spider  webs  and  lichens  and  fine  fiber. 

Wood  Thrush,  Hylocichla  mustelina  (Gmelin)  sr.  There 
are  many  Wood  Thrushes  in  the  parts  of  the  Park  frequented 
by  the  throngs  of  people,  but  most  of  these  people  are  so  un- 
fortunate as  to  be  all  but  unaware  of  the  fact  that  the  greatest 
of  bird  singers  is  singing  to  them  as  they  eat  their  picnic 
lunch.  It  is  a  case  of  lack  of  appreciation  through  neglected 
education.  The  first  song  of  the  Wood  Thrush  is  heard  during 
the  last  week  in  April.  They  sing  for  a  much  longer  period 


126  BIRDS   OF  SWOPE  PARK 

than  does  the  Brown  Thrasher,  in  fact  they  may  be  heard  late 
in  the  evening  for  the  greater  part  of  the  summer. 

Willow  Thrush,  Hjlocichla  fuscescens  salicicola  Ridge- 
way  tr.  This  Thrush  is  occasionally  found  in  the  woods  dur- 
ing early  May  and  again  in  the  autumn  from  the  middle  of 
September  to  mid  October. 

Gray-cheeked  Thrush,  Hjlocichla  aliciae  aliciae  (Band) 
tr.  Quite  a  few  of  these  Thrushes  pass  quietly  through  our 
woods  during  migration. 

Olive-backed  Thrush,  Hjlocichla  ustulata  swainsoni 
(Tschudi)  tr.  Occasionally  bird  lovers  have  an  opportunity 
of  hearing  this  fine  singer  as  it  passes  through  and  stops  to 
feast  on  the  fruits  and  insects  of  our  woods.  Some  of  them 
loiter  along  until  the  mating  impulse  stirs  the  males  to  begin 
singing.  They  are  still  to  be  found  here  as  late  as  June. 
(June  7th,  a  late  record.) 

Hermit  Thrush,  Hjlocichla  guttata  pallasi  (Cabanis)  tr. 
Hermit  Thrushes  are  quiet  and  undemonstrative  as  they  pass 
through  the  Park  during  their  migrations.  A  few  may  be 
found  in  the  woods  during  the  first  half  of  April  and  again 
in  October. 

Robin,  Planesticus  migratorius  migratorius  (Linn)  sr  and 
wr.  Robins  are  numerous  about  the  frequented  portions  of 
the  Park,  such  as  the  Shelter  House,  Refectory  and  the  picnic 
grounds.  During  migration,  great  flocks  may  be  found  in 
any  part  of  the  Park.  This  bird  is  known  and  loved  by  every- 
body, yet  it  can  hardly  compare  with  numbers  of  others  to  be 
found  in  the  Park,  either  in  usefulness,  beauty  or  song. 

Bluebird,  Sialis  sialis  sialis  (Linn)  sr.  and  wr.    Bluebirds 


LIST   OF   BIRDS   IN   THE    PARK  127 

are  at  no  time  as  plentiful  as  are  Robins.  There  are  com- 
paratively few  that  nest  in  the  Park.  They  are  not  as  par- 
ticular about  being  near  human  habitations  as  are  the  Robins, 
and  their  nests  may  be  found  far  out  in  the  Park.  A  few  may 
be  found  in  the  Park  nearly  every  winter.  During  late  Feb- 
ruary and  again  in  September  and  October,  it  is  not  uncom- 
mon to  find  flocks  of  twenty  or  more. 

Total  number  of  species  reported  in  Swope  Park  and 
immediate  vicinity  173.  No  doubt  others  occur,  and  continued 
observations  will  add  to  the  list.  It  is  hoped  that  none  of 
those  now  found  in  the  Park  will  be  driven  out. 

For  a  complete  list  of  birds  to  be  found  in  the  region 
about  Kansas  City  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  very  complete 
and  carefully  prepared  work  by  Harry  Harris  on  "BIRDS  OF 
THE  KANSAS  CITY  REGION,"  St.  Louis  Academy  of 
Science,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  This  book  gives  much  interesting  and 
valuable  data  concerning  the  birds  of  this  region. 


NATURE  STUDY 

For  3d,  4th,  5th  and  6th  Grades 
With  a 

Manual  of  Instruction 

By  John  Bradford  Craig,  M.  A, 

The  four  books  which  form  the  first  group  of  the  Nature  Study 
series  prepared  by  the  author  are  particularly  adapted  to  the  grades 
for  which  they  are  written.  The  stories  and  facts  presented  not  only 
develop  interest  on  the  part  of  the  pupil  but  give  him  a  setting  and 
a  perspective  for  his  observation.  The  pupil  gets  the  utilitarian  and 
ethical  sides  of  nature  brought  close  to  him  while  he  is  interested. 

These  books  are  intended  to  help  the  pupil  get  acquainted  with 
his  neighbors.  He  ought  to  have)  this  chance.  These  neighbors  can 
render  him  a  great  service  if  he  knows  them.  He  must  know  them 
first  before  they  can  serve  him. 

The  Manual  which  accompanies  this  series  not  only  makes  it  easy 
to  teach  the  subjects  well  but  renders  the  subject  interesting  during 
the  process. 

These  books  are  original  in  the  manner  of  presentation.  Nothing 
like  them  on  the  market.  Illustrated  by  etchings,  half-tones  and  colored 
pictures. 


OTHER  NATURE  STUDY  BOOKS 


Nature  Study  Lesson 
;<A  helpful  book  for  teachers" 

By    G.    A.    Cornish,    M.    A., 
Toronto  University 


TREES;  FLOWERS 

By   D.    W.    Hamilton,    Ph.    D., 
University    of    Washington 


New  Canadian  Bird  Book 

By  W.    T.   MacClement,   M.   A. 
Queens   University 


McINDOO  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

KANSAS  CITY,  MO. 

The  Standard  Press,   Kansas  City,  Mo. 


01    owope 


BIOLOGY 
LIBRARY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


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